Onward and Sunward

Tell me the song of the beautiful Stars,
As grandly they glide on their blue way above us,
Looking, despite of our spirit's sin-scars,
Down on us tenderly, yearning to love us!
This is the song in their work-worship sung,
Down thro' the world-jewelled universe rung:
" Onward for ever, for evermore onward,"
And ever they open their loving eyes Sunward.

" Onward," shouts Earth, with her myriad voices
Of music, aye answering the song of the Seven
As like a wing'd child of God's love she rejoices,
Swinging her censer of glory in heaven.
And lo, it is writ by the finger of God,
In sunbeams and flowers on the smiling green sod:
Onward for ever, for evermore onward,
And ever she turneth all trustfully Sunward.

The mightiest souls of all time hover o'er us,
Who labour'd like Gods among men, and have gone
Like great bursts of sun on the dark way before us:
They're with us, still with us, our battle fight on,
Looking down victor-brow'd, from the glory-crown'd
hill;

They beckon, and beacon us, on, onward still:

And the true heart's aspirings are onward, still onward;

It turns to the Future, as earth turneth Sunward.