Classic Poem

C HRIST , for whose only Love I keep me clean
Among the palaces of Babylon,
I would not Thou should'st reckon me with them
Who miserly would count each golden stone
That flags the street of Thy Jerusalem —
Who, having touched and tasted, heard and seen,

Half-drunken yet from earthly revelries,
Would wipe with flower-wreathed hair Thy bleeding Feet,
Jostling about Thee but to stay the heat
Of pale parched lips in Thy cool chalices.

" Our cups are emptiness — how long? how long
" Before that Thou wilt pour us of Thy wine,
" Thy sweet new wine, that we may thirst no more?
" Our lamps are darkness, — open day of Thine,
" Surely is light to spare behind that door,
" Where God is Sun, and Saints a starry throng."

But I, how little profit were to me
Tho' mine the twelve foundations of the skies,
With this green world of love an age below: —
The soft remembrance of those human eyes
Would pale the everlasting jewel-glow;
And o'er the perfect passionless minstrelsy

A voice would sound the decachords above,
Deadening the music of the Living Land —
Thou madest, Thou knowest, Thou wilt understand,
And stay me with the Apples of Thy love.

My Christ, remember that betrothal day;
Blessed be He that cometh was the song:
Glad as the Hebrew boys who cried Hosanna,
O'er hearts thick-strewn as palms they passed along,
To reap in might the fields of heavenly manna —
These were the bridesmen in their white array.

Soon hearts and eyes were lifted up to Thee:
Deep in dim glories of the Sanctuary,
Between the thunderous Alleluia-praise,
Through incense-hazes that encompassed Thee,
I saw the priestly hands Thyself upraise —
Heaven sank to earth — earth leapt to heaven for me.

Rise, Peter, rise; He standeth on the shore,
The thrice-denied of Pilate's Judgement Hall:
His hand is o'er the shingle lest thou fall;
He wipes thy bitter tears for evermore.

" Lovest thou?" My beloved, answer me,
Of Thine all-knowledge show me only this —
Tarrieth the answer? Lo, the House of Bread;
Lo, God and man made one in Mary's kiss
Bending in rapture o'er the manger bed.
I with the holy kings will go and see.