NOT for cattle or gold, Not for houses or land, I go to the evil Sabbath On this night, and stand Under the icy throne To take the icy vows And be accounted one Of our Father's house. Our Father who wert in heaven, A lonely road is Thine; Hardly after long travel Shall we reach to our design, Hardly by prayer and vigil Into Thy presence come, Hardly by that last gate Of fiery martyrdom. Many shall stand by Thee Upon this Sabbath night, In vengeance or love or gold Seeking for their delight; High leaps up in their heart The flame of earth's desire, But quench in Thine own elect That too-long smouldering fire! Over the whole world Through the streets of many a town The seven deadly Sins Go lightly up and down. But from their sweet delays Set Thou Thy children free; 'Tis Thou, not they, we seek; Father, draw us to Thee! Envy and Anger and Lust Are half the kin of Love, But Thy great throne is lifted All lesser thrones above: Whose sole joy is to see Love weep and bleed anew. This, this is all our prayer— That we may aid thereto. All the proud Asian kings Who have loved torment well, All sweet malicious tongues, How far Thou dost excel! O Terror! O Cruelty! O Hate! O Anguish of Joy! Make our hearts one with Thine To ravage and destroy. On the cross at the world's end, Where that Other hangs, There, Thy back to His back, Endurest Thou Thy pangs: There on our perfect longing Nail us with spines of ice, And break our mortal hearts In the great sacrifice. Poor and hungry and bare, His elect saints go by; Poor and hungry and bare Must Thine adepts draw nigh. To see our lovers weep Under our word or kiss— Naught else will we ask or have; Our Father, grant us this! O cold, cold, cold, The piercing wound shall be When in an utter loathing We are made one with Thee, Beyond all hope for ever Of knowing love again Save with its core of malice And weeping eyes of pain. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AFTER WINTER by STERLING ALLEN BROWN SING-SONG; A NURSERY RHYME BOOK: 105 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI PREPARATORY MEDITATIONS, 2D SERIES: 56 by EDWARD TAYLOR GREENES FUNERALLS: SONNET 11 by RICHARD BARNFIELD TABULA SECUNDA IN NAUFRAGIO by JOSEPH BEAUMONT THE OVIPAROUS TAILOR by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES |