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The future and its viewless things—

That undiscovered mystery

Which one who feels death's winnowing wings
Must needs read clearer, sure, than he!

Bring none of these; but let me be,

While all around in silence lies,
Moved to the window near, and see
Once more, before my dying eyes,
Bathed in the sacred dews of morn

The wide aërial landscape spread-
The world which was ere I was born,
The world which lasts when I am dead;
Which never was the friend of one,

Nor promised love it could not give,
But lit for all its generous sun,

And lived itself, and made us live.

There let me gaze, till I become

In soul, with what I gaze on, wed!
To feel the universe my home;

To have before my mind-instead
Of the sick room, the mortal strife,
The turmoil for a little breath-
The pure eternal course of life,

Not human combatings with death!

Thus feeling, gazing, might I grow

Composed, refreshed, ennobled, clear;

Then willing let my spirit go

To work or wait elsewhere or here!

Matthew Arnold [1822-1888]

NEXT OF KIN

THE shadows gather round me, while you are in the sun:
My day is almost ended, but yours is just begun:
The winds are singing to us both and the streams are sing-
ing still,

And they fill your heart with music, but mine they cannot

fill.

tter Resurrection

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sunlight, mine in another day: hand, sweet friend, but mine is far

ven where you fain would be:

> the deep, across the unknown sea. lily or spirit of the light:

d glad to hide in the cold dark night: ving heart and light to many eyes: edge earth is full of vanities.

over, as mine is nearly done, finished, as mine is almost run, ɔss your hands and bow your graceful

eep together in an equal bed. Christina Georgina Rossetti [1830-1894]

TER RESURRECTION

wit, no words, no tears;

rt within me like a stone

too much for hopes or fears; ght, look left, I dwell alone; - eyes, but dimmed with grief -lasting hills I see;

in the falling leaf: u, quicken me!

like a faded leaf,

vest dwindled to a husk;
life is void and brief

ious in the barren dusk;
like a frozen thing,
nor greenness can I see:
shall,--the sap of Spring;
u, rise in me!

like a broken bowl,

en bowl that cannot hold

of water for my soul
al in the searching cold;

Cast in the fire the perished thing,

Melt and remold it, till it be A royal cup for Him my King: O Jesu, drink of me!

Christina Georgina Rossetti [1830-1894]

THE SUMMER IS ENDED

WREATHE no more lilies in my hair,
For I am dying, Sister sweet:
Or, if you will for the last time
Indeed, why make me fair
Once for my winding-sheet.

Pluck no more roses for my breast,
For I like them fade in my prime:
Or, if you will, why pluck them still,
That they may share my rest
Once more for the last time.

Weep not for me when I am gone,
Dear tender one, but hope and smile:
Or, if you cannot choose but weep,
A little while weep on,

Only a little while.

Christina Georgina Rossetti [1830-1894]

A LITTLE PARABLE

I MADE the cross myself whose weight

Was later laid on me.

This thought is torture as I toil

Up life's steep Calvary.

To think mine own hands drove the nails!

I sang a merry song,

And chose the heaviest wood I had

To build it firm and strong.

[blocks in formation]

A bowing, burdened head,
That only asks to rest,
Unquestioning, upon
A loving breast.

My good right hand forgets
Its cunning now;

To march the weary march

I know not how.

I am not eager, bold,

Nor strong-all that is past;

I am ready not to do

At last, at last.

My half day's work is done,
And this is all my part-

I give a patient God

My patient heart,

And grasp His banner still,

Though all the blue be dim;

These stripes as well as stars

Lead after Him.

Mary Woolsey Howland [1832–1864)

WHEN

If I were told that I must die to-morrow,

That the next sun

Which sinks would bear me past all fear and sorrow

For any one,

All the fight fought, all the short journey through, What should I do?

I do not think that I should shrink or falter,
But just go on,

Doing my work, nor change nor seek to alter
Aught that is gone;

But rise and move and love and smile and pray
For one more day.

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