CLEAR on the ghostly sky the sharp black cross, Bearing the lean white shuddering limbs, arose; And the dark night grew darker than the depth Of ocean with unutterable fear. Then from a land beyond the stars it seemed There crept a thin sad voice that cut the heart To hear it, for so cruelly cried the Christ That, of the women waiting there, two fell Fainting; but the third woman silently With white clenched hands clung upright to the cross; And from her mouth a thin bright thread of blood Ran trickling down; then darker grew the night, And dark beyond all hope of any dawn, Death sank upon the Christ who cried, "My God, My Father, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" When over Calvary the darkness waned, Clear on the ghostly sky the sharp black cross Bearing the naked lean white limbs arose; And, of the women waiting there, two slept; But one clung closely to the bitter tree. Her mouth was bloody from her broken heart, And Death e'en now was laying his cold hand Upon her brow; the twain who slept were good And holy women; this was Magdalen. |