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HE face which, duly as the sun,
Rose up for me with life begun,

To mark all bright hours of the day With hourly love, is dimmed away,—

And yet my days go on, go on.

The tongue which, like a stream, could run
Smooth music from the roughest stone,
And every morning with "Good day"
Make each day good, is hushed away,-
And yet my days go on, go on.

The heart which, like a staff, was one
For mine to lean and rest upon,

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DE PROFUNDIS.

The strongest on the longest day
With steadfast love, is caught away,-
And yet my days go on, go on.

The world goes whispering to its own,
"This anguish pierces to the bone;"
And tender friends go sighing round,
"What love can ever cure this wound?"
My days go on, my days go on.

Breath freezes on my lips to moan:
As one alone, once not alone,

I sit and knock at Nature's door,
Heart-bare, heart-hungry, very poor,
Whose desolated days go on.

I knock and cry," Undone, undone!"
Is there no help, no comfort,-none?
No gleaning in the wide wheat-plains
Where others drive their loaded wains?
My vacant days go on, go on.

This Nature, though the snows be down,
Thinks kindly of the bird of June:

DE PROFUNDIS.

The little red hip on the tree

Is ripe for such. What is for me,
Whose days so winterly go on?

I ask less kindness to be done,-
Only to loose these pilgrim-shoon
(Too early worn and grimed), with sweet
Cool deathly touch to these tired feet,
Till days go out which now go on.

Only to lift the turf unmown

From off the earth where it has grown,
Some cubit-space, and say, " Behold,
Creep in, poor Heart, beneath that fold,
Forgetting how the days go on."

What harm would that do? Green anon
The sward would quicken, overshone
By skies as blue; and crickets might
Have leave to chirp there day and night
While

my new rest went on, went on.

-A Voice reproves me thereupon,

More sweet than Nature's when the drone

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2C4

DE PROFUNDIS.

Of bees is sweetest, and more deep

Than when the rivers overleap

The shuddering pines, and thunder on.

God's Voice, not Nature's! Night and noon

He sits upon the great white throne
And listens for the creatures' praise."

What babble we of days and days?
The Day-spring He, whose days go on.

He reigns above, He reign, alone;
Systems burn out, and leave His throne:
Fair mists of seraphs melt and fall
Around Him, changeless amid all,—
Ancient of Days, whose days go on.

He reigns below, He reigns alone,
And, having life in love foregone
Beneath the crown of sovran thorns,
He reigns the Jealous God. Who mourns
Or rules with Him, while days go on?

By anguish which made pale the sun,
I hear Him charge His saints that none

DE PROFUNDIS.

Among His creatures anywhere

Blaspheme against Him with despair,
However darkly days go on.

Take from my head the thorn-wreath brown!

No mortal grief deserves that crown.

O supreme Love, chief Misery,

The sharp regalia are for THEE,
Whose days eternally go on!

For us,-whatever's undergone,
Thou knowest, willest what is done.
Grief may be joy misunderstood;
Only the Good discerns the good.
I trust Thee while my days go on.

Whatever's lost, it first was won:
We will not struggle nor impugn.
Perhaps the cup was broken here,

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That Heaven's new wine might show more clear,

I praise Thee while my days go on.

I praise Thee while my days go on ;
I love Thee while my days go on :

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