Only in the gathered silence Of a calm and waiting frame, Light and wisdom as from Heaven To the seeker came. Guided thus, how passing lovely Is the track of Woolman's feet! And his brief and simple record How serenely sweet! O'er life's humblest duties throwing Light the earthling never knew, Freshening all its dark waste places As with Hermon's dew. All which glows in Pascal's pages, All which sainted Guyon sought, Or the blue-eyed German Rahel Half-unconscious taught: Beauty, such as Goethe pictured, Such as Shelley dreamed of, shed Living warmth and starry brightness Round that poor man's head. Not a vain and cold ideal, Not a poet's dream alone, But a presence warm and real, Seen and felt and known. When the red right-hand of slaughter Moulders with the steel it swung, When the name of seer and poet Dies on Memory's tongue, All bright thoughts and pure shall gather Round that meek and suffering one, -- Glorious, like the seer-seen angel Standing in the sun. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON THE PROPOSAL TO ERECT A MONUMENT IN ENGLAND TO LORD BYRON by EMMA LAZARUS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: J. MILTON MILES by EDGAR LEE MASTERS HOLY SONNET: ANNUNCIATION by JOHN DONNE TO ONE IN BEDLAM by ERNEST CHRISTOPHER DOWSON THE SNOWING OF THE PINES' by THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON BROTHERS by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON |