Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, FOR THE NEW CENTURY: 1, by LEWIS MORRIS (1833-1907)


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

FOR THE NEW CENTURY: 1, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Nineteen long centuries to-day
Last Line: New heavens and new earth!
Subject(s): Holidays; New Year; Time


I.

NINETEEN long centuries to-day
Our great Hope came to birth,
And He Whom faithful souls obey
Made glad the waiting Earth.
Peace was the message that He brought,
The all-compelling word;
Yet spite of all the Master taught,
Not yet man sheathes the sword.

Aye, nineteen centuries have fled,
Each to its place of doom;
Their hopes, their fears, their glories dead,
Deep buried in the tomb.
The old bad passions vex us still,
Greed, hate, the curse of war;
Dark fears the trembling nations fill,
And he, our Hope, seems far.

Upon the veldt the maimed, the slain,
The sick uncared for lie;
The martyr's cry assails again
The pitiless Eastern sky.
"In vain" the doubter sneers, "in vain"
The suppliants' groans, the tears,
There seems no power to heal their pain,
There seems no ear that hears.

What! Are our hopes then dead and done?
Own we no Lord Divine?
Nay, shine Thou forth, long-clouded sun,
O blessed Dayspring, shine!
Still though the heavenly voice seem dumb,
Thro' men's souls hidden deep,
Unchanged, its living echoes come,
Not silenced, nor asleep.

Dawn, O new Age, more calm, more pure,
Than those dim troubled years;
Bring wider knowledge, faith more sure,
Love, peace, an end of tears.
A new Day flushes from the East,
Haste, haste, celestial birth!
Reveal Thou, O Eternal Priest,
New Heavens and new Earth!





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