"By the pain-throb, triumphantly winning intensified bliss, "And the next world's reward and repose, by the struggles in this. XVIII "I believe it! 'Tis thou, God, that givest, 't is I who receive: "In the first is the last, in thy will is my power to believe. "All 's one gift: thou canst grant it moreover, as prompt to my prayer, "As I breathe out this breath, as I open these arms to the air. "From thy will, stream the worlds, life and nature, thy dread Sabaoth: "I will?—the mere atoms despise me! Why am I not loth "To look that, even that in the face too? Why is it I dare "Think but lightly of such impuissance? What stops my despair? "This ;—'t is not what man Does which exalts him, but what man Would do! "See the King-I would help him, but cannot, the wishes fall through. "Could I wrestle to raise him from sorrow, grow poor to enrich, "To fill up his life, starve my own out, I would-knowing which, "I know that my service is perfect. Oh, speak through me now! "Would I suffer for him that I love? So wouldst thou --so wilt thou! "So shall crown thee the topmost, ineffablest, uttermost crown "And thy love fill infinitude wholly, nor leave up nor down "One spot for the creature to stand in! It is by no breath, "Turn of eye, wave of hand, that salvation joins issue with death! "As thy love is discovered almighty, almighty be proved "Thy power, that exists with and for it, of being beloved! "He who did most, shall bear most; the strongest shall stand the most weak. "'T is the weakness in strength, that I cry for! my flesh, that I seek "In the Godhead! I seek and I find it. O Saul, it shall be "A Face like my face that receives thee; a Man like to me, "Thou shalt love and be loved by, for ever: a Hand like this hand "Shall throw open the gates of new life to thee! See the Christ stand!” XIX I know not too well how I found my way home in the night. There were witnesses, cohorts about me, to left and to right, Angels, powers, the unuttered, unseen, the alive, the aware: I repressed, I got through them as hardly, as strugglingly there, As a runner beset by the populace famished for news— Life or death. The whole earth was awakened, hell loosed with her crews; And the stars of night beat with emotion, and tingled and shot Out in fire the strong pain of pent knowledge: but I fainted not, For the Hand still impelled me at once and supported, suppressed All the tumult, and quenched it with quiet, and holy behest, Till the rapture was shut in itself, and the earth sank to rest. Anon at the dawn, all that trouble had withered from earth Not so much, but I saw it die out in the day's tender birth; In the gathered intensity brought to the grey of the hills; In the shuddering forests' held breath; in the sudden wind-thrills; In the startled wild beasts that bore oft, each with eye sidling still, Though averted with wonder and dread; in the birds stiff and chill That rose heavily as I approached them, made stupid with awe : E'en the serpent that slid away silent—he felt the new law. The same stared in the white humid faces upturned by the flowers; The same worked in the heart of the cedar and moved the vine-bowers : And the little brooks witnessing murmured, persistent and low, With their obstinate, all but hushed voices—“ E’en so, it is so !" RABBI BEN EZRA. I GROW old along with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life, for which the first was made: Our times are in His hand Who saith "A whole I planned, "Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!" II Not that, amassing flowers, Youth sighed "Which rose make ours, Not that, admiring stars, It yearned "Nor Jove, nor Mars; "Mine be some figured flame which blends, transcends them all!" III Not for such hopes and fears Annulling youth's brief years, Do I remonstrate: folly wide the mark! Rather I prize the doubt Low kinds exist without, Finished and finite clods, untroubled by a spark. IV Poor vaunt of life indeed, Were man but formed to feed On joy, to solely seek and find and feast: Such feasting ended, then As sure an end to men; Irks care the crop-full bird? Frets doubt the mawcrammed beast? Rejoice we are allied V To That which doth provide And not partake, effect and not receive ! A spark disturbs our clod; Nearer we hold of God Who gives, than of His tribes that take, I must believe. VI Then, welcome each rebuff That turns earth's smoothness rough, Each sting that bids nor sit nor stand but go! Be our joys three-parts pain! Strive, and hold cheap the strain; Learn, nor account the pang; dare, never grudge the throe! VII For thence, a paradox Which comforts while it mocks,— Shall life succeed in that it seems to fail : What I aspired to be, And was not, comforts me: A brute I might have been, but would not sink i' the scale. VIII What is he but a brute Whose flesh hath soul to suit, Whose spirit works lest arms and legs want play? To man, propose this test— Thy body at its best, How far can that project thy soul on its lone way? IX Yet gifts should prove their use: I own the Past profuse |