I saw them pause on their celestial way; Then said I, with deep fear and doubt oppressed, "Beat not so loud, my heart, lest thou betray The place where thy beloved are at rest!” And he who wore the crown of asphodels, And my soul sank within me, as in wells I recognized the nameless agony, The terror and the tremor and the pain, That oft before had filled or haunted me, And now returned with threefold strength again. The door I opened to my heavenly guest, And listened, for I thought I heard God's voice; And, knowing whatsoe'er He sent was best, Dared neither to lament nor to rejoice. Then with a smile, that filled the house with light, "My errand is not Death, but Life," he said And ere I answered, passing out of sight, 'T was at thy door, O friend! and not at mine, The angel with the amaranthine wreath, Pausing, descended, and with voice divine, Whispered a word that had a sound like Death. Then fell upon the house a sudden gloom, All is of God! If He but wave his hand, The mists collect, the rain falls thick and loud, Till, with a smile of light on sea and land, Lo! He looks back from the departing cloud. Angels of Life and Death alike are his; Without his leave they pass no threshold o'er; Who, then, would wish or dare, believing this, Against his messengers to shut the door? DAYLIGHT AND MOONLIGHT. In broad daylight, and at noon, Sailing high, but faint and white, In broad daylight, yesterday, But at length the feverish day Like a passion died away, And the night, serene and still, Fell on village, vale, and hill. |