Draw me, thy bride, a glittering star,
In raiment white and clean.
He lifts me to the golden doors;
The flashes come and go;
All heaven bursts her starry floors,
And strows her lights below,
And deepens on and up! the gates
Roll backhand far within
For me the Heavenly Bridegroom waits,
To make me pure of sin.
The sabbath of Eternity,
One sabbath deep and wide—
A light upon the shining sea—
The Bridegroom with his bride!
ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON.
*
PRAISE OF THE CELESTIAL COUNTRY.
[The poem De Contemptu Mundi was written by Bernard de
Morlaix, Monk of Cluni. The translation following is of a
portion of the poem distinguished by the sub-title "Laus
Patriae Coelestis."]
The world is very evil,
The times are waxing late;
Be sober and keep vigil,
The Judge is at the gate,—
The Judge that comes in mercy,
The Judge that comes with might,
To terminate the evil,
To diadem the right.
When the just and gentle Monarch
Shall summon from the tomb,
Let man, the guilty, tremble,
For Man, the God, shall doom!
Arise, arise, good Christian,
Let right to wrong succeed;
Let penitential sorrow
To heavenly gladness lead,—
To the light that hath no evening,