See Moses Nebo's slopes ascend, The Promised Land to view; His God alone doth him attend, To hear his last adieu. "Thy brother died!" this ere his eyes By gathering mists were dim, As if to say that in the skies Kind friends awaited him. The peoples' need who can forget?— Much still remains undone: The land beyond the Jordan yet Remaineth to be won. With light still filling all his sky, He does not claim release; But now shall close that eagle eye, And all his exploits cease. So dying on that mountain slope, Doubtless his soul was stirred To think that life's one master-hope By Sin had been deferred. Dost thou, too, miss a vanished face— Some one who now doth dwell Beyond this "bourne of Time and Place?" 'Twill help thee to farewell. Let not thy soul be filled with dread Though toilers disappear, And your long-cherished hopes seem dead— There is a Joshua near. This priceless lesson likewise learn— Sin shall thy steps retard— Forgetting this, thou too shalt turn From doors against thee barred! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO THE NIGHTINGALE by JOHN MILTON THE DAYS GONE BY by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY THE DAY-DREAM: THE SLEEPING PALACE by ALFRED TENNYSON THE POET'S SPEAR by ARCHILOCHUS LEAVES A-VALLEN by WILLIAM BARNES THE SPAN OF LIFE by LEVI BISHOP SONNET ON LIFE by BROOKE BOOTHBY |