The Day sat by with banner furled; His battered shield hung on the wall; One great star walked the upper world, All purple-robed, in Stately Hall; Some unseen reapers gathered golden sheaves, The skies were as the tree of life in yellow leaves. God's poor of Hebron rested. Then Straightway unto their presence drew A captain with his band of men And smote His poor, and well-nigh slew, Saying, " Hence, ye poor ! Behold, the king this night Comes forth with torch and dance and loud delight." His poor, how much they cared to see ! How begged they, prone, to see, to hear ! But spake the captain angrily, And drove them forth with sword and spear, And shut the gate ; and when the king passed through, These lonely poor they knew not what to do. Lo, then a soft-voiced stranger said: "Come ye with me a little space. I know where torches gold and red Gleam down a peaceful, ample place; Where song and perfume fill the restful air, And men speak scarce at all. The King is there." They passed; they sat a grass-set hill What king hath carpets like to this ? What king hath music like the trill Of crickets 'mid these silences These perfumed silences, that rest upon The soul like sunlight on a hill at dawn ? Behold what blessings in the air ! What benedictions in the dew ! These olives lift their arms in prayer ; They turn their leaves, God reads them through ; Yon lilies where the falling water sings Are fairer-robed than choristers of kings. Lift now your heads ! yon golden bars That build the porch of heaven, seas Of silver-sailing golden stars Yea, these are yours, and all of these ! For yonder king hath never yet been told Of silver seas that sail these ships of gold. They turned, they raised their heads on high ; They saw, the first time saw and knew, The awful glories of the sky, The benedictions of the dew; And from that day His poor were richer far Than all such kings as keep where follies are. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE FAT LADY by HAYDEN CARRUTH TO A DEAD MAN by CARL SANDBURG TO CORINTH by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR TO THE DANDELION by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL ON THE LIFE OF MAN by WALTER RALEIGH GATHERING SONG OF DONALD [OR, DONUI DHU] THE BLACK by WALTER SCOTT |