Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE CANDLE OF THE LORD, by ADA CAMBRIDGE Poet's Biography First Line: Our spirit - ay, our own! - the tree whose fruits Last Line: Its cloven tongue of fire! Alternate Author Name(s): Cross, George, Mrs. Subject(s): God | ||||||||
"The Spirit of man is the candle of the Lord." "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." OUR spirit -- ay, our own! -- the tree whose fruits Have never fail'd -- the sign upon the door 'Twixt us and God's intelligent dumb brutes, That parts us evermore! Our spirit -- last, best gift -- still unbereft Of treasures stored in Eden's happy land; One fragment of the human, as it left The Divine Maker's hand. That seal of our high birth He did allow Toea unharm'd the sin and woe and strife; That remnant of our godhead -- wanting now Only the "breath of life." Only the breath of life, whereby the Lord Made use to be His equals, fit to fill His throne -- our free wills brought into accord With His own sovereign will. Our spirit -- not the feeble soul which came With our dishonour'd state and its new needs; And not the feebler heart of sin and shame, That daily breaks and bleeds. Our spirit -- our unshatter'd lamp -- still ours -- Fill'd with the heavenly essence, as of yore, -- To bear a light, to light the midnight hours, And light the wreck to shore. Ay, 'tis the same -- the same! It hath not shared The mutilation and the curse and blight; When the destruction fell, the lamp was spared -- Only deprived of Light. O God! and hath it ever ceased to grope For light, and yearn and cry for light to come? In blackest gloom, ere revelation spoke, While yet the Christ was dumb, Thou knowest it search'd for every wandering ray, And never wearied of the weary quest; And fed and fenced and treasured, day by day, A glimmer in its breast. O holy Dove! O Grace! O Love! come down -- Our spirit with Thy perfect light inspire! Circle each candle with its flaming crown, Its cloven tongue of fire! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE MOUNTAIN IS STRIPPED by DAVID IGNATOW AS CLOSE AS BREATHING by MARK JARMAN UNHOLY SONNET 1 by MARK JARMAN UNHOLY SONNET 13 by MARK JARMAN BIRTH-DUES by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE SILENT SHEPHERDS by ROBINSON JEFFERS GOING TO THE HORSE FLATS by ROBINSON JEFFERS |
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