John
John , my beloved, come with me apart
In this dim garden for a little space.
I cannot rest me though the others sleep;
There is a time to wake them, but not now.
Is it not good to climb this hill to-night
After the glad hosannas in the streets,
The crowding faces, life and men and love,
Here on the slope of the eternal stars
To watch the lights that shine through Kedron's Vale
And 'neath the olives walk alone with God?
'Tis not the first time that we two have walked
Shoulder to shoulder underneath the stars;
Nor yet the last, John, though to-morrow's sun
Should dawn upon you, and on you alone.
Nay, my good brother, loose your fingers' grip.
You could not keep me if I willed to go:
Your heart enfolds me, not your fearful arm—
The lights shine clearer through the dusky vale,
And with their coming, John, we say good-by.
We say good-by, for every road must end,
All pleasant journeys underneath the sun;
Claspt hands are severed, hungry lips must part,
The long night comes at close of every day,
And men must slumber when their work is done.
Nay, it is better,—light is not light alone;
Were there no shadows, even suns were blind;
Only by parting do men meet again.
And we have met, John, met in a holy land
Alone with God in his great silences
Where never men have ventured—you and I.
And we have looked beyond the gates of heaven,
Beyond the stars, beyond the flaming sun,
Beyond all time, and known that God is love.
Was it not worth it, just to dare to be
One's simple self, to think, to love, to do,
And not to be ashamed? To live one life
Fearless and pure and strong, true to one's self,
Though the false world were full of lies and hate,
Where blind men lead each other through the dark,
Too weak to sin, ashamed of what is good,
Unable to do evil, thinking it.
But we have dared. David and Jonathan
Drank no divinelier in courts of Saul
Than we together in Gethsemane.
And though to-night I drain the cup of death
Down to the stinging dregs of Judas' kiss,
The wine of love lies sweeter on my lips—
I see the lanterns gleaming. Kiss me, John.
In this dim garden for a little space.
I cannot rest me though the others sleep;
There is a time to wake them, but not now.
Is it not good to climb this hill to-night
After the glad hosannas in the streets,
The crowding faces, life and men and love,
Here on the slope of the eternal stars
To watch the lights that shine through Kedron's Vale
And 'neath the olives walk alone with God?
'Tis not the first time that we two have walked
Shoulder to shoulder underneath the stars;
Nor yet the last, John, though to-morrow's sun
Should dawn upon you, and on you alone.
Nay, my good brother, loose your fingers' grip.
You could not keep me if I willed to go:
Your heart enfolds me, not your fearful arm—
The lights shine clearer through the dusky vale,
And with their coming, John, we say good-by.
We say good-by, for every road must end,
All pleasant journeys underneath the sun;
Claspt hands are severed, hungry lips must part,
The long night comes at close of every day,
And men must slumber when their work is done.
Nay, it is better,—light is not light alone;
Were there no shadows, even suns were blind;
Only by parting do men meet again.
And we have met, John, met in a holy land
Alone with God in his great silences
Where never men have ventured—you and I.
And we have looked beyond the gates of heaven,
Beyond the stars, beyond the flaming sun,
Beyond all time, and known that God is love.
Was it not worth it, just to dare to be
One's simple self, to think, to love, to do,
And not to be ashamed? To live one life
Fearless and pure and strong, true to one's self,
Though the false world were full of lies and hate,
Where blind men lead each other through the dark,
Too weak to sin, ashamed of what is good,
Unable to do evil, thinking it.
But we have dared. David and Jonathan
Drank no divinelier in courts of Saul
Than we together in Gethsemane.
And though to-night I drain the cup of death
Down to the stinging dregs of Judas' kiss,
The wine of love lies sweeter on my lips—
I see the lanterns gleaming. Kiss me, John.
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