Religion

In the Cool of the Evening

by James Stephens 1882–1950

From Georgian Poetry 1911–1912 (1912)

Religion

I thought I heard Him calling. Did you hear
A sound, a little sound? My curious ear
Is dinned with flying noises, and the tree
Goes—whisper, whisper, whisper silently
Till all its whispers spread into the sound
Of a dull roar. Lie closer to the ground,
The shade is deep and He may pass us by.
We are so very small, and His great eye,
Customed to starry majesties, may gaze
Too wide to spy us hiding in the maze;
Ah, misery! the sun has not yet gone
And we are naked: He will look upon
Our crouching shame, may make us stand upright
Burning in terror—O that it were night!
He may not come ... what? listen, listen, now—
He is here! lie closer ... 'Adam, where art thou?'

MLA

Stephens, James. “In the Cool of the Evening.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/stephens/12/.

Chicago

Stephens, James. “In the Cool of the Evening.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/stephens/12/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by James Stephens