NEST OF HOPE Night on the Mountain Night on the mountain. Soon I may not see The sharp and spreading map, The chequer-world of man’s hard husbandry. Comes white as wool the cloud veil that shall cap The peak whereon I stand and stretch to thee. Night on the mountain. Soft and silently Out from their little dens the furred things creep: They will not sleep With valley-dwelling man, but wake to thee. The fox from out its hole, the night bird from its nest, I with the rest, Yet not from any dear and hearted home But from long exile come. Long exile in the puzzling world, when all Thy veils were close and bright And picture set; yea, as a storied pall Concealed thy night. Long pilgrimage within the twisting lanes, The deep and scented lanes, that wandered slow Athwart the sleek profusion of the plains But dared not seek The solitary peaks To which thy lovers go. Now the old words that once were mine and thine Come to the lips and echo in the ear, Now the white cloud draws near And stills the restless limbs and shuts the peering sight From all thing save thy night– The caverned door of our unshuttered shrine. II Strange, holy night, Eternity’s caress, Most apt for happy lovers to enjoy; Thou dost redeem the foolish dreams of men Bewildered by the dreadful day’s employ. How the white flowers upon thy breast do burn And tell thy dark excesses. Thou dost turn Each candid primrose to a moon of light; Thou dost enchant the fingers of the fern Stretched from the woodland to assoil our sight From the sharp day’s distress. When homely shapes pout on a priestly dress, When from the dewy fields new presences arise And grave trees standing there Lift up great arms in prayer; When the dim ground Hath soft mysterious movements of desire And every hill converses with the skies; ‘Tis then Our little star at home in heaven is found, And we and it are gathered to thy heart. Then muted adoration hat its part, Then comes the hush of grace and wraps us round, Then comes the flame of love and gives us of its fire. Then, undistracted by the heady sun, We are with thee as once ere all began, Made partners with the ardent worlds that run Across thy bosom’s span; Knowing themselves to be Radiant of love and light because they rest in thee. Dear night, I love thee. Take me by the hand, Make thou the ferment of my thought to cease. Teach me thy wisdom. Let me understand Thine unstruck music. Give my soul release From the day’s glare and din. Lift thou the latch, that I may push the gate And let my Darling in. He stands without, he wearies not to wait Before my threshold till Thou hast made all things proper to our state And every voice is still. Then thou and he shall enter side by side, Thy banner shall be set above his bride, The curtains of thy splendor shall be spread About our marriage bed.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 09:14:47 +0000
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