One who hath aye been by thee from thy birth,
Thy guardian angel, thy good genius.
I knew thee not till now.
I am never seen
In the earth’s low thick light, but here in Heaven,
And in the air which God breathes, I am clear.
I tell to God each night thy thoughts and deeds;
And watching o’er thee both on earth and here,
Pray unto Him for thee and intercede.
And this is Heaven. Lead on. Will God forgive
That I did long to see Him?
It is the strain
Of all high spirits towards Him. Thou couldst not
Even if thou wouldst, behold God; masked in dust,
Thine eye did light on darkness; but when dead,
And the dust shaken off the shining essence,
God shall glow through thee as through living glass,
And every thought and atom of thy being
Shall guest His glory, be overbright with God.
Hadst thou not been by faith immortalized
For the instant, then thine eye had been thy death.
Come, I will show thee Heaven and all angels.
Lo! the recording angel.
Him I see
High-seated, and the pen within his hand
Plumed like a storm-portending cloud which curves
Half over Heaven, and swift, in use divine,
As is a warrior’s spear!
The book wherein
Are writ the records of the universe,
Lies like a world laid open at his feet.
And there, the Book of Life which holds the names,
Formed out in starry brilliants, of God’s sons—
The spirit-names which angels learn by heart,
Of worlds beforehand. Wilt thou see thine own?
My name is written in the Book of Life.
It is enough. That constellated word
Is more to me and clearer than all stars,
Henceforward and for aye.
Raise still thine eyes!
Thy gleaming throne! hewn from that mount of light
Which was before created light or night
Never created, Heaven’s eternal base,
Whereon God’s throne is ’stablished. Sit on it!
Nay, I will forestall nothing more than sight.
Turn then and view yon streams where spirits sport
Quaffing immortal life, preparing aye
For higher and intenser Being still.
These are the upper fountains of the Heavens,
The emanations of Eternity;
By washing them in which they purify
Their eyes to penetrate the essential light
In all things hidden, seen alone by eyes
Fire-spirited, etherially clear,
Which like the fabled stone, conceived of fire,
Son of the sun, transmutes all seen to soul.
And such the bliss and power reserved for man;
Yet but the surface-shadow canst thou see.
The substance is to be. Behold yon group
Of spirits blest! in their divinest eyes
The spirit speaks, and shows that in their own
All doubt and want hath ceased, as death hath ceased.
Hither they come, rejoicing, marvelling.
How all with kindly wonder look on me!
Mayhap I tell of earth to their pure sense.
Some seem as if they knew me. I know none.
But how claim kinship with the glorified
Unless with them like-glorified! Yet, yes—
It is—it must be;—that angelic spirit!—
My heart outruns me—mother! see thy son.
Child, how art thou here?
God hath let me come.
Hast thou not come unbidden and unprepared?
Forgive me, if it be so. I am come.
And I have ever said there are two who will
Forgive me aught I do—my God and thou!
I do! may He!
Dear mother, thou art blessed;
And I am blessed, too, in knowing thee.
Son of my hopes on earth and prayers In Heaven!
The love of God! oh, it is infinite
Even as our imperfection. Promise, child,
That thou wilt love Him more and more for this,
And for His boundless kindness thus towards me.
Now, my son, hear me! for the hours of Heaven
Are not as those of earth; and all is all
But lost that is not given unto God.
Oft have I seen with joy thy thoughts of Heaven,
And holy hopes, which track the soul with light,
Rise from dead doubts within thy troubled breast,
As souls of drowned bodies from the sea,
Upwards to God, and marked them so received,
That oh! my soul hath overflowed with rapture
As now thine eye with tears. But oh! my son
Beloved! fear thou ever for thy soul;
It yet hath to be saved. Nought perfect stands
But that which is in Heaven. God is all-kind;
And long time hath he made thee think of Him;
Think on Him yet in time. Ere I left earth,
With the last breath which air would spare for me,
With the last look which light would bless me with,
I prayed thou mightst be happy and be wise—
And half the prayer I brought myself to God—
And lo! thou art unhappy and unwise.
Blessed one! I rejoice that thou art clear,
And all who have cared for me, of my misdeeds.
Thy spirit was on those who nurtured me.
All word and practice that could be of good,
Was given me; so that my sin is splendid.
Yes! if I have sinned, I have sinned sublimely;
And I am glad I suffer for my faults.
I would not if I might, be bad and happy.
God laughs at ill by man made and allows it.
The vaunt of mountainious evil and the power
To challenge Heaven from molehill, child!
God hath made but few better hearts than mine,
However much it fail in the wise ways
Of the world, as living in the dull dark streets
Of forms and follies wherein men build themselves.
The goodness of the heart is shown in deeds
Of peacefulness and kindness. Hand and heart
Are one thing with the good as thou shouldst be.
The splendor of corruption hath no power
Nor vital essence; and content in sin
Shows apathy, not satisfied control.
Do my words trouble thee? Then treasure them.
Pain overgot gives peace as death does Heaven.
All things that speak of Heaven speak of peace.
Peace hath more might than war. High brows are calm.
Great thoughts are still as stars; and truths, like suns,
Stir not; though many systems tend round them.
Mind’s step is still as death’s; and all great things
Which cannot be controlled, whose end is good.
Behold yon throne! there, Love, Faith, Hope are one!
There, judgment, righteousness, and mercy make
One and the same thing. God’s salvation is
His vengeance, and his wrath glory, as on earth
Destruction restoration to the pure.
Humanity is perfected in Heaven.
I did not make myself, nor plan
