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By Graves, Alfred Perceval
Bright dream beyond my own life's shore,
Proud purpose of my future's store,
My hope, my comfort from annoy,
My jewel and my glowing joy,
My nest of shade from out the sun,
My lark, my soaring, singing one,
My golden shaft of faithful love
Shot at the radiant round above,
My intercessor with Heaven's King,
My boyhood's second blossoming,
My little, laughing, loving John,
For you I'm sunk in shadow wan!
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
Then what woe to the froward,
What joy to the just and kind!
When the Seraph band comes streaming
Christ's gleaming banner behind;
Heavenly blue shall its hue be
To a myriad marvelling eyes;
Save where its heart encrimsons
The cross of the sacrifice!
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
Oh, why start a-fishing
Far, far and across the foam?
Give way to our wishing;
Stay, stay at home!"
"Now, but for King Herring,
What 'ood you be wearing,
How 'ood you be faring
How keep ye warm?
Lest loaves should be failing,
Lest children for want take harm,
Men still will go sailing
Out into the storm."
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
And so, when Simon looked,
And pondered, evil-eyed,
No longer Jesus brooked
His thought, but thus replied;
"Simon, no kiss of peace
Thou gav'st me at thy door,
No oil, my head to ease,
Didst thou upon it pour,
Nay, for thy bidden guest
So little hast thou cared,
His weary feet to rest
No bath hadst thou prepared;
Yet hath this woman here,
By thee with scorn decried,
Washed them with many a tear,
And with her tresses dried,
And given them, from her store
Of spikenard, cool relief,
And kissed them...
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
"Why stand ye, men of Galilee,
So sadly gazing on the skies?
For this same Jesus, whom ye see
Caught in the clouds to Paradise,
Shall in like manner from the starry height
Return again to greet your joyful sight."
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
The Angels, whose harmonious breath
Erstwhile proclaimed His birth,
Now hailed Him Victor over Death,
Redeemer of the Earth;
"Lift up your heads, ye Heavenly Gates!"
Rang forth their joyful strain;
"For lo! the King of Glory waits
To enter you again!"
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
Till, ye faithful sons and daughters,
God your golden lives deliver,
Like the good grain to the waters
Of death's overflowing river;
Till up-caught amid His sleepers,
Heavenly fruit from earthly loam,
At the last, His angel reapers
On their bosoms bear you home.
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
Then o'er the tempest of his pain,
His cry of perishing thrill,
Let Thy right arm go forth again,
Thy saving "Peace! be still!"
Until to all his strength restored
Thy Spirit lead Him down,
In solemn state, Almighty Lord,
To take from Thee his crown.
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
"More pure than yonder virgin snow
From God comes gently down,
I left my happy country home,"
She sighed, "to seek the town,
More foul than yonder drift shall turn,
Before the sun is high,
Downtrodden and defiled of men,
More foul," she wept, "am I."
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
None answering thee? thou sayest,
Nay, mourner, from thy heart,
If but in faith thou prayest,
The Voice Divine shall start;
"I gave and I have taken,
If thou wouldst comfort win
To cheer thy life forsaken,
I knock, O, let me in!
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
"If thou wouldst heal thee of thy wound,"
Her voice to heavenly harps attuned
Bespake me, "Let the sovran tide
Within this glass thy future guide."
Therewith she gave into my hands
No hour-glass running golden sands,
Only a horologe forlorn
Set against a cross of thorn,
And cold and stern the current seemed
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
But O, our darling in his joyful dance
Tottered death-pale beneath the withering north,
Into a kinder clime, most blessed chance,
We caught him swiftly forth,
And there he bloomed again, our fairy boy,
Two year-long Aprils through in sun and shower,
Wing-footed Mercury of each merry hour,
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
And evermore we shared his shifting mood
Of hide-and-seek with April joy and sorrow,
Till not one shadow of solicitude
Remained to mar our morrow;
Yea, every fear had flown, lest, welladay!
The headlong heats or winter's piercing power
Should light afresh upon our radiant flower
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
Yet, O Good Shepherd, lead us back,
Our lamb upon Thy breast,
Safely along the narrow track,
Across the dangerous crest;
Until our aching eyes rejoice
At Salem's shining walls,
And to our thirsting souls a Voice
Of Living Waters calls.
By Graves, Alfred Perceval
Pulses of pain that throb from night till morrow;
Hearts of despair!
O, yet take comfort, still your joy approaches,
Dark is the hour that on the dawn encroaches,
April's own smile shall yet succeed your sighing,
April's own voice set every song-bird crying,
"Spring is not dead!"
Unchangeable, all-perfect Lord!
Essential life’s unbounded sea!
What lives and moves, lives by thy word;
It lives, and moves, and is, from thee!
Whate’er in earth, or sea, or sky,
Or shuns, or meets, the wandering thought,
Escapes, or strikes, the searching eye,
Source of being, source of light,
With unfading beauties bright;
Thee, when morning greets the skies,
Blushing sweet with humid eyes;
Thee, when soft declining day
Sinks, in purple waves away;
Thee, O Parent, will I sing,
To thy feet my tribute bring!
Hark! what joyful notes are swelling
On the quiet midnight air!
’Tis the voice of angels telling,
Jesus comes our sins to bear!
Now the music, in its gladness,
Breaks and swells, and glides along!
Now, earth, waking from her sadness,
Joins the chorus of the song!
Glory in the highest heaven!
Peace on earth, good-will to man!
Let all praise to God be given,
For Redemption’s glorious plan!
3 Rise and shine, Star of Salvation!
Spread thy beams o’er all the earth,
Till each distant land and nation
Owns and speaks thy matchless worth!
Till all tongues, thy praises singing,
Shall thy mighty wonders tell,
Till all heaven with joy is ringing,
2 He came, not in his robe of wrath,
With arm outstretched to slay;
But on the darkling paths of earth,
To pour celestial day;
To guide in peace the wandering feet,
The broken heart to bind,
And bear upon the painful cross,