Religion

XXIII

by Algernon Charles Swinburne 1837–1909

From A Midsummer Holiday and Other Poems

Religion

For, when such light is in the world, we share,
All of us, all the rays thereof that shine:
Its presence is alive in the unseen air,
Its fire within our veins as quickening wine;
A spirit is shed on all men everywhere,
Known or not known of all men for divine.
Yea, as the sun makes heaven, that light makes fair
All souls of ours, all lesser souls than thine,
Priest, prophet, seer and sage,
Lord of a subject age
That bears thy seal upon it for a sign;
Whose name shall be thy name,
Whose light thy light of fame,
The light of love that makes thy soul a shrine;
Whose record through all years to be
Shall bear this witness written--that its womb bare thee.

MLA

Swinburne, Algernon Charles. “XXIII.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/swinburne/108/.

Chicago

Swinburne, Algernon Charles. “XXIII.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/swinburne/108/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Algernon Charles Swinburne