Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, HURRY, by MARCUS S. C. RICKARDS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

HURRY, by                    
First Line: Mortals! Why this fierce haste
Last Line: Enter its lord!
Subject(s): Eden; Heaven; Religion; Sin; Paradise; Theology


MORTALS! why this fierce haste
Thro' the long hours,
As tho' by Furies chased
From peaceful bowers?
Know ye that haste began,
When, 'neath the Eden Ban,
Fiery swords flashed, as man
Angels outran?

Is it the ancient curse
Still lingering near?
Hounding from bad to worse
Hearts nerved by fear;
Flaming each placid face;
Shaming all quiet grace;
Claiming to leave a trace
Naught can efface.

Paradise lost forgot
Never, by one --
Exiles from bliss, our lot
Is but to run --
Hurry, for low and high;
Worry in each sad eye;
Flurry, the more we try
Care to out-fly.

Ay, and the bane is this;
Dupes of false sin
Deem that through haste, new bliss
Swift they shall win --
One must his kind control;
Wealth is another's goal;
Most would their worth enrol
In Honour's scroll:

Each on another gains;
One all outvies:
Meekness the heart disdains
Set on its prize:
Who taught thee that, poor fool?
They, who in Nature's school
Graduate, see all cool
And calm that rule.

Haste is their fatal mark
Who sadly go --
Theirs who leave light for dark,
Freshness for woe;
Clouds speeding wild and lone;
Birds across rough seas blown;
Leaves that fierce gales dethrone;
Blossoms down flown.

What rose shuns ordered growth?
What lily flees?
Due toil, not haste or sloth
Hives sweet for bees;
Heaven is the skylark's aim,
Careless of wealth or fame;
Rapt hearts his worth proclaim,
Echo his name.

No restless striving mars
Yon regnant lights --
Pure Sun, soft Moon, sweet Stars,
Smile from their heights,
Chiming "Spent hearts! would ye
Look as serene as we;
Course, and yet never flee;
Laugh with Heaven's glee?

"Learn that your fevered strife
Deepens sin's doom,
Thistles and thorns all rife,
Brow sweat, death gloom!
Scan our Calm, and its cause;
Keep your true being's laws;
Revolving without pause,
As Duty draws!"

Lo! the heart's orbit found,
Cherubs on guard
Frank man to Holy Ground,
Thro' gates unbarred;
Earth and the Curse abhorred,
Down sinks the flaming sword,
Paradise now restored,
Enter its lord!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net