I. Temple Bar.
For evermore through Temple Bar1
A mighty music rolls,2
A troublous motion urging on3
The march of human Souls ;4
The City palpitates around5
With streets that seethe and roar,6
And still that living sea of sound7
Aches to an unseen shore :8
The music goes and comes—who knows9
From whence it comes or whither goes ?10
From East to West, from West to East,11
Like some dark dream or care12
Hid uncompleted in the heart13
Till uttered out in prayer,14
Through Temple Bar it ebbs and flows,15
Swift as a crude March-wind,—16
The Future darkling veiled before,17
The stone-struck Past behind—18
Whose mingling shadows, while we pray,19
Make the Eternity,—To-Day.20
By Temple Bar I stand and watch21
The crowd rush on, a flood22
Of Life, whose seeming darkness takes23
Fine meaning in my blood.—24
Oh, there is always poesy25
Where human feet have trod,26
These men and women, each and all,27
Are poems made by God ;28
Their birth is death, their death is birth,29
Their Souls are lilies grown in earth !30
O City !— Poet darkly veiled,31
In songs of sin and ruth,32
Cry to thy children that thou art33
The Metaphor of Truth ;34
That Truth and Beauty are but one,35
Eternal, changeless, true,36
And that where’er the shadow falls37
God sends the sunshine too !38
Sing us this poesy sublime,39
The climbing element of Time.40
O City !— Poet darkly veiled,41
Unveil thy secret heart,42
Breathe out thy song of toil, and show43
The Prophet that thou art ;44
Sing, Life is equal in us all—45
Blind arms stretcht out on air46
To touch the robe of Beauty, who47
Is with us unaware—48
Part of the Eden yet untrod,49
Th’ unfathomable secret,—God !50
Sad faces, faces fierce with sin,51
Swim on through Temple Bar,52
While here and there a face beams by53
As stainless as a star !54
Ay, here is Want, and here is Woe,55
Blotting the clouded street ;56
But every life is creeping on57
To break at Beauty’s feet,58
And every little life, in sooth,59
Assists the motion on to truth.60
To take these mingled lives apart,61
To view each sin and flaw,62
Is weeping work and thriftless work,63
Denying use and law ;64
For each is part, and has no life65
Dissolved from that great Whole,66
Wherein the strength and meaning lies67
Of every human Soul—68
It is a wave of that great sea,69
Apart from which it cannot be.70
And the great sea rolls on in power71
O’er black and shifting sand,72
To east its gathered jewels on73
Some dark mysterious strand ;74
But clearer, dearer day by day75
We grow in troublous strife,76
And while we work, the hands of Death77
Are making wings for Life—78
Completing, ’neath a risen sun,79
The godhead of a duty done.80
God sets a Scripture in the Soul,81
Whereby we breathe and live ;82
“ Live up,” it saith, “ I ask but this,83
To those good gifts I give ;84
I make thee capable by gifts85
Of Loveliness and Love,86
Which prove the lower darkness means87
Excess of light above ;88
For Life is Hope,—a sense forlorn89
Of Beauty out of which ’tis born.”90
This Scripture indicates the strength91
Whereby we toil and climb,92
Setting our thoughts and deeds like stars93
Amid the clouds of Time ;94
Our Use is Love, our Love is Use,95
And Hope, that urging voice,96
Is something in ourselves beyond97
Our common cares and joys :—98
We climb the mountains, grand and dumb,99
With sacrifice for years to come.100
Oh, doubt not, doubt not !— Journey on,101
Heart strong and sinews stout ;102
For when we doubt our work, the work103
Is poorer for the doubt.104
For Love will come, since Use is Love,105
Our hardened dust ’twill leaven,106
And proving all our faith in earth,107
’Twill prove our faith in Heaven—108
Pure in its patience and its trust,109
’Twill vindicate our lives from dust.110
Oh, doubt not, doubt not !— Labour on,111
And prove our hidden worth—112
Good lives, that are the heart of Hope,113
Spring oft from lowly earth ;114
Work on, hope on, with hearts and hands115
No petty fear controls ;116
And when the Future comes, ’twill take117
The sweetness of your Souls ;118
And every lovely deed, at last,119
Will help to dignify the Past.120
Flow on, dark flood, through Temple Bar ;121
Breathe, City, busy breath ;122
Let the broad work move on till Life123
Shall read the riddle, Death ;124
There is a music in your toil,125
A meaning richly given—126
Each struggling wave assists to push127
Its fellow on to Heaven ;128
Each helps, and has no life apart—129
All ebb from one mysterious Heart.130