Into a temple vast and dim, Solemn and vast and dim, Just when the last sweet Vesper Hymn Was floating far away, With eyes that tabernacled tears -- Her heart the home of tears -- And cheeks wan with the woes of years, A woman went one day. And, one by one, adown the aisles, Adown the long, lone aisles, Their faces bright with holy smiles That follow after prayer, The worshipers in silence passed, In silence slowly passed away; The woman knelt until the last Had left her lonely there. A holy hush came o'er the place, O'er the holy place, The shadows kissed her woe-worn face, Her forehead touched the floor; The wreck that drifted thro' the years -- Sin-driven thro' the years -- Was floating o'er the tide of tears, To Mercy's golden shore. Her lips were sealed, they could not pray, They sighed, but could not pray, All words of prayer had died away From them long years ago; But ah! from out her eyes there rose -- Sad from her eyes there rose -- The prayer of tears, which swiftest goes To Heaven -- winged with woe. With weary tears, her weary eyes, Her joyless, weary eyes, Wailed forth a rosary; and her sighs And sobs strung all the beads; The while before her spirit's gaze -- Her contrite spirit's gaze -- Moved all the mysteries of her days, And histories of her deeds. Still as a shadow, while she wept, So desolately wept, Up thro' the long, lone aisle she crept Unto an altar fair; "Mother!" -- her pale lips said no more -- Could say no more -- The wreck, at last, reached Mercy's shore, For Mary's shrine was there. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THREE KINGS OF ORIENT by JOHN HENRY HOPKINS JR. HESPERIA by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE A JEWISH FAMILY; IN A SMALL VALLEY OPPOSITE ST. GOAR by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH THE HAYSWATER BOAT by MATTHEW ARNOLD THE WEDDING FEAST: 5 by ANNA HEMPSTEAD BRANCH SNOWFLAKES by HOMER HIGH CALHOUN PERCHE PENSA? PENSANDO S'INVECCHIA by ARTHUR HUGH CLOUGH |