Classic and Contemporary Poetry
HYMNOS AHYMNOS, OR UMNOS AUMNOS, by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: O thou whose image in the shrine Last Line: I will not ask to feel thou art. | ||||||||
O THOU whose image in the shrine Of human spirits dwells divine; Which from that precinct once conveyed, To be to outer day displayed, Doth vanish, part, and leave behind Mere blank and void of empty mind, Which wilful fancy seeks in vain With casual shapes to fill again! O Thou that in our bosom's shrine Dost dwell, unknown because divine! I thought to speak, I thought to say, 'The light is here,' 'behold the way,' 'The voice was thus,' and 'thus the word,' And 'thus I saw,' and 'that I heard,' -- But from the lips that half essayed The imperfect utterance fell unmade. O Thou, in that mysterious shrine Enthroned, as I must say, divine! I will not frame one thought of what Thou mayest either be or not. I will not prate of 'thus' and 'so,' And be profane with 'yes' and 'no,' Enough that in our soul and heart Thou, whatsoe'er Thou may'st be, art. Unseen, secure in that high shrine Acknowledged present and divine, I will not ask some upper air, Some future day to place Thee there; Nor say, nor yet deny, such men And women saw Thee thus and then: Thy name was such, and there or here To him or her Thou didst appear. Do only Thou in that dim shrine, Unknown or known, remain, divine; There, or if not, at least in eyes That scan the fact that round them lies, The hand to sway, the judgment guide, In sight and sense Thyself divide: Be Thou but there, -- in soul and heart, I will not ask to feel Thou art. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...IN A LECTURE-ROOM by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH NATURA NATURANS by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH QUA CURSUM VENTUS by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH SONGS IN ABSENCE: 7. THE SHIP by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH THE LATEST DECALOGUE by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH A LONDON IDYLL by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH A PROTEST by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH A RIVER POOL by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH A SLEEPING CHILD by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH |
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