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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
OUR LADY OF THE SNOWS, by LIONEL PIGOT JOHNSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Far from the world, far from delight | |||
Far from the world, far from delight, Distinguishing not day from night; Vowed to one sacrifice of all Far from the world, far from delight, The happy things, that men befall; Distinguishing not day from night; Pleading one sacrifice, before Vowed to one sacrifice of all The happy things, that men befall; Whom sun and sea and wind adore; Far from earth's comfort, far away, Pleading one sacrifice, before We cry to God, we cry and pray Whom sun and sea and wind adore; For men, who have the common day. Far from earth's comfort, far away, Dance, merry world! and sing: but we, We cry to God, we cry and pray For men, who have the common day. Hearing, remember Calvary: Dance, merry world! and sing: but we, Get gold, and thrive you! but the sun Once paled; and the centurion Hearing, remember Calvary: Said: This dead man was God's own Son. Get gold, and thrive you! but the sun Think you, we shrink from common toil, Once paled; and the centurion Works of the mart, works of the soil; Said: This dead man was God's own Son. That, prisoners of strong despair, Think you, we shrink from common toil, Works of the mart, works of the soil; We breathe this melancholy air; That, prisoners of strong despair, Forgetting the dear calls of race, And bonds of house, and ties of place; We breathe this melancholy air; That, cowards, from the field we turn, Forgetting the dear calls of race, And bonds of house, and ties of place; And heavenward, in our weakness, yearn? That, cowards, from the field we turn, Unjust! unkind! while you despise And heavenward, in our weakness, yearn? Our lonely years, our mournful cries: You are the happier for our prayer; Unjust! unkind! while you despise Our lonely years, our mournful cries: The guerdon of our souls, you share. Not in such feebleness of heart, You are the happier for our prayer; We play our solitary part; The guerdon of our souls, you share. Not in such feebleness of heart, Not fugitives of battle, we We play our solitary part; Hide from the world, and let things be: Not fugitives of battle, we But rather, looking over earth, Between the bounds of death and birth; Hide from the world, and let things be: But rather, looking over earth, And sad at heart, for sorrow and sin, Between the bounds of death and birth; We wondered, where might help begin. And sad at heart, for sorrow and sin, And on our wonder came God's choice, We wondered, where might help begin. A sudden light, a clarion voice, Clearing the dark, and sounding clear: And on our wonder came God's choice, A sudden light, a clarion voice, And we obeyed: behold us, here! Clearing the dark, and sounding clear: In prison bound, but with your chains: And we obeyed: behold us, here! Sufferers, but of alien pains. Merry the world, and thrives apace, In prison bound, but with your chains: Each in his customary place: Sufferers, but of alien pains. Merry the world, and thrives apace, Sailors upon the carrying sea, Shepherds upon the pasture lea, Each in his customary place: And merchants of the town; and they, Sailors upon the carrying sea, Who march to death, the fighting way; Shepherds upon the pasture lea, And merchants of the town; and they, And there are lovers in the spring, Who march to death, the fighting way; With those, who dance, and those, who sing: The commonwealth of every day. And there are lovers in the spring, With those, who dance, and those, who sing: Eastward and westward, far away. The commonwealth of every day, Once the sun paled; once cried aloud The Roman, from beneath the cloud: Eastward and westward, far away. This day the Son of God is dead! Once the sun paled; once cried aloud Yet heed men, what the Roman said? The Roman, from beneath the cloud: They heed not: we then heed for them, This day the Son of God is dead! Yet heed men, what the Roman said? The mindless of Jerusalem; They heed not: we then heed for them, Careless, they live and die: but we The mindless of Jerusalem; Care, in their stead, for Calvary. Careless, they live and die: but we O joyous men and women! strong, To urge the wheel of life along, Care, in their stead, for Calvary. O joyous men and women! strong, With strenuous arm, and cheerful strain, To urge the wheel of life along, And wisdom of laborious brain: With strenuous arm, and cheerful strain, We give our life, our heart, our breath, That you may live to conquer death; And wisdom of laborious brain: That, past your tomb, with souls in health, We give our life, our heart, our breath, That you may live to conquer death; Joy may be yours, and blessed wealth; Through vigils of the painful night, That, past your tomb, with souls in health, Our spirits with your tempters fight: Joy may be yours, and blessed wealth; Through vigils of the painful night, For you, for you, we live alone, Our spirits with your tempters fight: Where no joy comes, where cold winds moan: Nor friends have we, nor have we foes; For you, for you, we live alone, Where no joy comes, where cold winds moan: Our Queen is of the lonely Snows. Nor friends have we, nor have we foes; Ah! and sometimes, our prayers between, Our Queen is of the lonely Snows. Come sudden thoughts of what hath been: Dreams! And from dreams, once more we fall Ah! and sometimes, our prayers between, To prayer: God save, Christ keep, them all. Come sudden thoughts of what hath been: And thou, who knowest not these things, Dreams! And from dreams, once more we fall To prayer: God save, Christ keep, them all. Hearken, what news our message brings! Our toils, thy joy of life forgot: And thou, who knowest not these things, Our lives of prayer forget thee not. Hearken, what news our message brings! -1887 Our toils, thy joy of life forgot: Our lives of prayer forget thee not. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest... |
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