In the Light—(The disciple)
(The Saviour of the World, Vol V Book IV Poem XXXVIII)
“How fair thou art, O soul! how still a grace
Mantles thy face!
What pure cool chambers do thine eyes reveal!
Sure dwells in thee some luminous mystery?”
“As yon dull orb that yet so shines to thee,
I do but stand
In the Light.”
“What seest thou, O soul, where thou dost stand?”
“A shifting sand
Where vile things stir and live—pride, envy, strife,
Malice and anger, all that prey on love—
Lo, these within me doth the Light reprove!
Yet fain I stand
In the Light.”
“O soul, poor soul, how bearest thou such sight?
How sad a plight!”
“Aye, sad, but there is help beside the pain;
Help in a word; I do but say to One,
‘Lord, I am vile!’ and, lo, the ill is gone!—
Blameless I stand
In the Light.”
“Seest thou no more?” “I see a foe who stands
With ordered bands
Surrounding me; and from his hand each hurls
A dart to wound.” “Poor soul, how ’scapest thou?”
“One bears a shield: no scathe shall He allow
To reach who stand
In the Light.”
“This the whole cheer, poor soul, light brings to Thee?”
“Nay, One I see—
In heaven, in earth, but One: none may rehearse,
Nor any comprehend save them who see,
The healing of the Vision: He shines on me;—
Wherefore I stand
In the Light!”
“Hast any more to tell?” “I see the way,
The devious way
My feet must tread, mark’d out all fair for me;
A path I ne’er had found, nor finding, kept,
Save for the Day: in the past night I slept;
But now walk on,
In the Light.
“And more: I see all souls about me shine:
In Light divine,
Fair do they glow; the Light doth shine on all,
Though not all know; and, ah, this heart would throw
The arms of brotherhood round all, that so,
Assured, we stand
In the Light!”
“O soul, help me! I, too, would feel His beam,
But, ah, I seem
Too vile to meet the Day!” “Brother, e’en now,
He shines on thee: thy very fear doth prove
The darkness vanish’d; who confess and love,
Are they who stand
In the Light!”
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