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النشر الإلكتروني

IV.
LIFE.

LIKE a dark, silent river hurrying by,
Life's flowing stream is ever rushing on.
We seem to stand upon a mossy stone
Amid the roaring waters, whence the eye
A distant sunny country can descry,
And may not rest until that shore be won,
For after gazing there our rock is lone :
A place whence those we love take wing and fly,
Leaving us lonely, but to weep, and shrink
From bending o'er the precipice's brink,
Gazing with sickening heart from that dread height,
And hearing but the dull rush of the wave.
Then rises Faith: star 'mid the darkest night,
And near us glides the Church's ark, to save!

V.
SPRING.

How fresh the early hues of opening spring,
How lovely the unfolding of each flower,
As, joying in the sunlight's golden shower,
It spreads its soft breast to the painted wing
Of passing butterfly. The free birds sing
Of gladness in their leafy native bower,
Rejoicing in the sunlight's wakening power,
Nor heeding what dark clouds, nor storms may bring.
Thus should we trust Him brought to us so near,
Who lovingly doth weave around His earth
A veil of light and joy, of peace and rest,
Till all around, with His sweet Presence blest,
Shall breathe of Him, the God of our new birth,
Whom fearing first, we love, and loving fear.

VI.

THE CLOSE OF SUMMER.

SWEET, fading summer, 'tis not well to sigh
Because the sober day of autumn brings
His store of red and golden tints, and flings
A veil of mist across thine azure sky,
And e'en thy latest flowerets droop and die.
For thus it is with all earth's fairest things,
The brightest glory that around them clings
Is but a farewell gleam when death is nigh,
A calm and lovely autumn sunset ray,
A shadow cast from other worlds, to say
That in its birthplace there is no decay.
And the bright summer bends all silently
To meet its smile, and on its wings to flee,
Far hence away, to reign eternally.

VII.

WINTER'S DAY.

BRIGHT sun, now smiling on the wintry earth,
And gleaming on the frost-work gems that cast
A beauty where all other grace is past,
And loveliness unknown to summer mirth-
Shine out, thou blessed sun: amid the dearth
Of happy feelings in some wintry mind
Awake sweet thoughts once more-thy ray is kind,
Like a warm blessing from thy land of birth,
The gracious Heaven. Thy peaceful radiance shed
On every hope of summer chilled and dead,
And thaw them by thy genial beam to life.
So from this world of storms, and tears, and strife
We may look up, and thank our Father's care
Who giveth winter's hour a garb so fair.

VIII.

ANGEL GUARDIANS.

THEY are all round us, though we see them not;
Their armies fill the pure transparent air,
And flit 'tween heaven and earth on viewless stair
Of the blue firmament. They see each blot
That mars our deeds of good. Men little wot
Whose holy eyes surround them everywhere,
Ready, with love's swift eagerness, to bear
Our few, faint prayers to heaven. The lowly cot
And lofty palace share alike their care,
Their watchful care, and kind protecting power.
And, were the veil withdrawn from our dim eyes,
Then should we trace, on all bright things and fair
A heavenly Presence, glowing in each flower
That skirts our path 'tween worlds of mysteries.

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