God spake three times and saved Van Elsen's soul; He spake by sickness first and made him whole; Van Elsen heard him not, Or soon forgot. God spake to him by wealth, the world outpoured Its treasures at his feet, and called him Lord; Van Elsen's heart grew fat And proud thereat. God spake the third time when the great world smiled, And in the sunshine slew his little child; Van Elsen like a tree Fell hopelessly. Then in the darkness came a voice which said, "As thy heart bleedeth, so my heart hath bled, As I have need for thee, Thou needest me." That night Van Elsen kissed the baby feet, And, kneeling by the narrow winding sheet, Praised Him with fervent breath Who conquered death. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...WHEN I AM DEAD by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON SAINT PATRICK by EDWIN MARKHAM CHRISTMAS TREES; A CHRISTMAS CIRCULAR LETTER by ROBERT FROST THE SNOWING OF THE PINES' by THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON TO THE SMALL CELANDINE (1) by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH OUR SOLDIERS' SANTIAGO SONG by DAVID GRAHAM ADEE THE KNIGHTS: THE POET AND HIS RIVALS by ARISTOPHANES |