THE bow that spans the storm is beautiful; Yet-- how we view it! from our very cradle E'en to the extreme of our most ripened wisdom 'T is treated as a toy. Philosophers, With bits of glass and one small beam of light, Make mimic rainbows upon college walls, And lecture upon raindrops-- how the light Impinges, is refracted, bent and formed, Ending with pious hintings to the class With what analogies God's light is sent-- How mathematical his heavenly bow! -- The painter daubs it on his varnished cloth, And with gamboge and verdigris, makes out A tolerable rainbow -- to be viewed, Admired, and bought by folly's connoisseurs. -- As silly as the rest, the mother lifts Her squalling child, whom rattle will not please, Nor pap, nor coral with its silver bells, To look upon the rainbow-- But too gross Such gaze -- and, folding up its heavenly robes, "Like as a garment," on the meteor rolls. "The Heavens shall pass away, as doth a scroll"-- Like as a scroll they stand. O! who that marked That page of Heaven's bright book-- when a new light Was broad upon his vision -- (when the world Turned from the sun, and the sun's worldly day) But thought--all else forgot--but thought on Thee; Nor painted -- nor philosophized -- nor smiled. The sun is of our system, but the stars Are set in Heaven. The day is made for man. -- At such a time -- with such a gloried sky, Even man feels that the night is made for God. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE EVE OF ST. AGNES by JOHN KEATS THE SKELETON IN ARMOR by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW A MASQUE OF DEAD QUEENS by STANLEY E. BABB THE PASQUE FLOWER by STELLA PFEIFFER BAISCH TO -- OCCASIONED BY HIS POEM ON THE SUN by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 50. MY LOVE by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) |