THE perfect world by Adam trod, Was the first temple -- built by God -- His fiat laid the corner-stone, And heaved its pillars, one by one. He hung its starry roof on high -- The broad illimitable sky; He spread its pavement, green and bright, And curtain'd it with morning light. The mountains in their places stood -- The sea -- the sky -- and "all was good;" And, when its first pure praises rang, The "morning stars together sang." Lord! 'tis not ours to make the sea And earth and sky a house for thee; But in thy sight our off'ring stands -- A humbler temple, "made with hands." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LANDING OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS IN NEW ENGLAND [NOVEMBER 19, 1620] by FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS DOROTHY IN THE GARRET by JOHN TOWNSEND TROWBRIDGE UNSUNG by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE DEAD BRONCHO-BUSTER by BERTON BRALEY A MAN'S DEBT by FRED EMERSON BROOKS TO THE DECEASED AUTHOR, UPON THE PROMISCUOUS PRINTING OF HIS POEMS by THOMAS BROWNE HONOUR'S APPEAL TO JUSTICE by OLIVA WARD BUSH |