Heavenly Guest

Swathed for awhile in weeds of earth
Near you she sits with folded wings ;
Will you not know her till she flings
Them starry' wide to leave your hearth ?-

To leave it lonely dark and cold ?—
Too late imploring hands are spread ;
Could you not see before she fled
Light trembling out through every fold.

Exhaling subtle when she smiled
Or stirred or spake? O, gross and blind,
Through common things a common mind
Can see no glory breathing mild.

That shy primrose so dear to God
A worldling's warped and jaded sense
Calls dull insipid innocence ;
Wilt thou too be the callous clod ?

Ah ! had you recognised her birth
While yonder sat your meek -eyed dove.
Or moved on humble tasks of love,
Or touched to life your slumljering worth !

VI
Ourselves to conquer and to merge
In this the school of love we learn ;
And helping her these bonds to spurn
She lifts us up to heaven's verge.
Bestride the rocket as it flares
Through solitudes of startled night !
Yet know yon bird of humble flight
In yonder cage who modest bears

His suit of brown and trills alone
His low sweet song through dreary day;
Is kin to him who breasts the rays,
Bursts all in music, melts in song.

Oft folds his head beneath the wing.
Unvoiced his joy, yet sweet the rest.
His blithe bird-heart in peace possesi :
So love secure may cease to sing

Awhile, then if brief twilights grow.
Let fall life's shadows, fools may cry
" How dwindles love's felicity ! "
Love smiles who feels his heart aglow.

They shiver, muffled up in furs.
Their blood but crawls, for ever cold ;
If, as they croak, love turns to mould,
Life now at least our being stirs.

These have not lived ; but woodland fern
That nods in dropping diamonds
By some cascade — those tender fronds
Form trees where long blue summers burn.