Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MYSTERIES OF LIFE, by MARY TUCKER LAMBERT


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MYSTERIES OF LIFE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: God said, 'let there be light, and there was light'
Last Line: We'll read the mystery of life, and death.
Alternate Author Name(s): Tucker, Mary Eliza Perine
Subject(s): Life


GOD said, "Let there be light, and there was light,"
Created from the darkness infinite:
And from the waters, called he forth the Earth,
And Heaven rejoiced at this, her sister's birth.
The Earth brought forth the grass, the herb, the tree,
And flowers, bright flowers, so priceless and so free.
The heavens, God decked with mighty gems of light,
Sol ruled the day, the moon and stars the night.
"Let waters bring forth creatures that have life."
On earth, in air, in water there was strife.
God saw that all his wondrous work was good,
As on his throne of Holiness he stood.
One thing was wanting, and the world so fair,
He perfect made; He placed his image there.
And woman too -- of man the better part,
He made to twine herself about man's heart.
We gaze upon all natural works sublime,
Mark daily births, and sad decay of time:
We see flowers blooming -- see them fade away --
We see bright visions vanish in a day:
We dream of joy -- of perfect earthly bliss,
Dreams soft and sweet, yet fleeting as a kiss.
The wild wind comes -- ah, whither does it go?
From whence do all these gushing waters flow?
Why do the roots take moisture from the soil?
And beauteous flowers neither spin nor toil;
Yet they in robes of splendor are arrayed,
Of texture fine, and colors of each shade.
Birds, beasts, and flowers, throughout our beauteous land,
Mysterious works of an Almighty hand.
In vain we seek solution here to find,
Of these great problems -- earth and all mankind.
Man is the greatest mystery of life,
For in his soul are passions ever rife.
He in his Saviour's mighty image plann'd,
To love, to hate, to serve, and to command:
Yet changing ever -- one thing but a day;
First young, then old, then passing quite away.
In his blind ignorance doomed to never know,
From whence he cometh, whither he will go.
Perchance his soul once lived in a bright flower,
Which bloomed and faded in a short sweet hour;
Perchance he dwelt in yonder twinkling stars --
In loving Venus, or the warlike Mars;
In youth he ever craves to be of age,
In age he sighs while reading memory's page
Forever filled with longings undefined,
With high-wrought fancies of a craving mind:
Craving, alas! but doomed to never find
Congenial nature to our hearts to bind.
Yearning for something cloudy as a dream,
He grasps the rainbow, finds it lightning's gleam.
The soul drinks beauty from each hill and dale,
The clouds of sunset and the flowery vale;
Revels amid the histories of yore,
Drinks deep of knowledge, wildly craves for more.
He is ambitious -- he seeks lasting fame,
Will earth defy to win immortal name.
He would be happy. Ah, all joy, all bliss
Lasts but a moment in a world like this.
Why should we seek to solve this mystery?
Through time 'twill last, until Eternity;
We know that God, in his omnipotence,
Will make dark, light, when we are called from hence.
And then alone, when ceases this frail breath,
We'll read the mystery of Life, and Death.






Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net