Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, LOVE, NOT LOGIC (A FRAGMENT), by ANNIE MATHESON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LOVE, NOT LOGIC (A FRAGMENT), by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: O god! What am I but a hungry cry
Last Line: All strong to labour for the good of each.
Subject(s): God; Love; Religion; Theology


O GOD! what am I but a hungry cry,
Cast out upon the void of silent night?
I see the distant worlds, revolving by,
And find no answer in their chilly light.

The beauteous earth, that lies about my feet,
Blooms ever into questions manifold;
For there are thorns on flowers that are sweet,
And each year's cycle ends in wintry cold.

The hearts I love are torn with grief and pain,
The lives most dear hang ever on a breath;
Thick grow the tares among the golden grain,
And Life walks ever hand in hand with Death.

From out the speck that is to me a world,
With aching eyes I question boundless space;
I watch heaven's curtain over me unfurled,
To see the far, dim shadow of Thy face.

I watch the sun, as through the heaven he rides,
With rosy clouds engirt, or golden light.
I watch the moon, that rules the silver tides,
Move on in solemn splendour through the night.

But still I find Thee not. In vain I try
To touch the border of Thy seamless robe:
The glorious raiment from my grasp doth fly,
And bears like glowing dust each sunlit globe.

For all the star-illumined sky we see
Is but one pattern on Thy mantle vast,
That sweeps the circles of eternity,
Where meet the future and th' unending past.

Time, as he flies, vouchsafeth no reply,
Nor drops one feather in his onward flight,
To mark his track, or tell me whence and why
He bears men on with wing'd, relentless might.

How shall I find Thee? I, one finite soul,—
Thee, who art self-existent and divine?
Yet, as a magnet seeks the distant pole,
My spirit resteth not, but seeketh Thine.

Redeemer, Father, Comforter, draw near,
For ever One—to love through Love revealed!
When, Death being dead, we see Thy face, and hear
Thy glorious voice, then shall all wounds be healed,

All lives fulfilled, all darkness die in light,
All words be needless, love itself be speech,
All souls be perfected with heavenly might,
All strong to labour for the good of each.





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