A patriarchal ram with tinkling bell Led all his kin; sometimes one browsing sheep Hung back a moment, or one lamb would leap And frolic in a dell; Yet still they kept together, journeying well, And bleating, one or other, many or few, Journeying together toward the sunlit west; Mild face by face, and woolly breast by breast, Patient, sun-brightened too, Still journeying toward the sunset and their rest. EXULTATE DEO. MANY a flower hath perfume for its dower, And many a bird a song, And harmless lambs milkwhite beside their dams Frolic along; Perfume and song and whiteness offering praise In humble, peaceful ways. Man's high degree hath will and memory, By loftier ways he mounts of prayer and praise ; Deep unto deep responsive, height to height, "THY WORKS PRAISE THEE, O LORD." 395 "ALL THY WORKS PRAISE THEE, A PROCESSIONAL OF CREATION. I ALL. ALL-CREATION sing my song of praise To God Who made me and vouchsafes my days, And sends me forth by multitudinous ways. SERAPH. I, like my Brethren, burn eternally With love of Him Who is Love, and loveth me; CHERUB. I, with my Brethren, gaze eternally On Him Who is Wisdom, and Who knoweth me ; ALL ANGELS. We rule, we serve, we work, we store His treasure, Whose vessels are we brimmed with strength and pleasure; Our joys fulfil, yea, overfill our measure. HEAVENS. We float before the Presence Infinite, We cluster round the Throne in our delight, FIRMAMENT. I, blue and beautiful, and framed of air, POWERS. We Powers are powers because He makes us strong; Wherefore we roll all rolling orbs along, We move all moving things, and sing our song. SUN. I blaze to Him in mine engarlanding MOON. I follow, and am fair, and do His Will; STARS. We Star-hosts numerous, innumerous, GALAXIES AND NEBULE. No thing is far or near; and therefore we COMETS AND METEORS. Our lights dart here and there, whirl to and fro, SHOWERS. We give ourselves; and be we great or small, DEWS. We give ourselves in silent secret ways, Spending and spent in silence full of grace; And thus are made like God, and show His praise. WINDS. We sift the air and winnow all the earth; And God Who poised our weights and weighs our worth Accepts the worship of our solemn mirth. FIRE. My power and strength are His Who fashioned me, Ordained me image of His Jealousy, Forged me His weapon fierce exceedingly. HEAT. I glow unto His glory, and do good: I glow, and bring to life both bud and brood; WINTER AND SUMMER. Our wealth and joys and beauties celebrate SPRING AND AUTUMN. I hope, And I remember,— We give place Either to other with contented grace, FROST. I make the unstable stable, binding fast |