Part 6 (1/2)

Over the brow of lofty scar Quivers the light of evening star, And throws within the gorge's gloaming A kiss of beams on the brook afar.

Quivers the stream with strange delight Through all the murmuring hours of night, And to the pale moss tells its story, And lichens fumbling far up the height.

And in its dusk, for aye the brook To cliffy covert, caverned nook, Brattles its sweet and starry secret-- Foregleam of day and an open look!

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Look now! The crested waters sleep; White stars their emerald twilight keep Above the tryst of pensile glories That kiss to purple-and-gold the deep.

Blossoms the rose red as its name; The trees aspire to heaven, like flame; Articulate the gold-eyed songsters; While angels lean from their place of fame.

O sleep, sleep now, sleep silverly, Radiant, divine, deep-bosomed sea!

Thy cradle rocks to skyey breathings, Bright fall Love's shadows on you and me.

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How swift soft-feathered Time sails on Its skyward flight, nor stays to con The gulfs of s.p.a.ce it wingeth over,-- Mere pools that hint of a sh.o.r.eless yon!

Sunsets and dawns, mirage, the sea, Foreshadow Nature's fixed decree, While steady rolls the round of seasons,-- The soul foreknows its eternity.

From spiritual heights beyond the spheres, My ear elusive music hears; In stressful hours it falls and hovers, And life is lift to AEonian years.

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My quickened sense can only plod.

Imagination waves its rod, My spirit burns with lightning splendor, Emotive faith tastes the bread of G.o.d.

As moves the wind on sightless wings, Nor shadow o'er the landscape flings, While seas to chafe of foam are beaten, And plectrum sweeps all the forest strings;

So through the world doth Spirit move, And presence by His working prove,-- A mystery of might and music, A lonelihood of eternal love.

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What Nature mirrors and reveals-- The purblind vision it unseals To sight of awesome Presence holy, That chastens sore ere He soothes and heals,--

The reign of law, with ethic rule E'en in the breast of idle fool, (As moon and stars are heavenly pictured Within the breast of a noisome pool)--

Herein is claim of Nature's worth.

Though I forget the forms of earth, Of gilded cloud and circling planet, I know His fire lives within their girth.

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