Life—or Death.
Ye call me Death, and sum up life’s despair1
In that short word,2
And look on me as that which robs your life of life,3
Ye mistake.—I am Death !4
But also am I the Hand which draws aside5
The curtain of uncertainty ’tween this world and the next ;6
The Hand which presses to the quivering lips7
The cup of merciful forgetfulness8
Of this life’s agony and grief ;9
The Hand which flings wide open10
The golden, pearly gates of Heaven11
Which aught else would keep fast riven.12
Myself the Hand which gently guides13
Each stumbling wanderer across14
That bridge, from Here to There—15
Myself that bridge.16
Bethink you—is not the body the soul’s coffin ?17
And is’t not I who raise that coffin lid,18
And thus let that glad angel19
Wing its long-sought path upward ?—20
’Tis not my dreaded presence21
That brings the falsely named “ Death Dew”22
To the pallid brow ;23
Nay, but Life the Traitor, forsaking,24
When most dearly loved and25
Most dearly sought—26
Note ye that glorious radiance which illumines27
The pale faces of the hallowed dead ?28
’Twas mine the Hand29
That gently—Ah ! so gently smoothed30
Away the careworn look31
Brought there by long-borne pain and life.32
And last of all, the Hand is mine33
Which paints that only34
Once on Earth seen picture—35
Heaven’s gates wide ope, in welcome flung—36
’Tis that which brings the last and glorious smile37
To paling lips, too faint to tell of that38
Which I alone do show the eyes.39
****
I am the Victor—I ! Earthly victories there are—40
But did earthly Victor ever live immortal41
Save in the hearts of them that lived ?42
Was Victor ne’er defeated ? Is’t every Victor43
Who deserves the laurels that he wins ?44
Does every victory mean success ?45
I ?— I am the one Victorious Success !46
Successful Victor !—47
My every act Success, sure and full,48
Could ye but know it so.49
But no ! ’Tis only those I take50
Not those I pass that learn the justice51
Of my Being.—Ye fear me and therein52
The greatest danger lies, for danger’s greatest danger53
Was ever yet the want of courage facing danger—54
And yet when all is said and ponder’d o’er55
Is it really me ye fear ?56
Fools ! not Death the act itself57
But after Death, for then at last ye know for sure58
That our acts, like silent witnesses, have gone before59
Lo turn King’s evidence upon the Judgment Day.60
Therefore—it is not me ye dread,61
But the sure and inevitable results62
Of all those earthly actions, which of themselves63
Raise that barrier between God and Mercy,64
Though no barrier e’er can come between God and Justice,65
For no act ever dies—it may seem so—66
And to pass for ever out of sight, but67
“ It is not dead, but gone before,” as ye shall68
Surely find before the Judgment Seat.69
****
Life is no lottery, no game of chance,70
No fore-marked plan that man hap-hazard draws71
From forth the urn of Fate, and must hence follow.72
Heaping each on his ill-fitting Fate, all73
The odium of a mis-spent life—74
Nay, but life is the path, to right or left,75
Ye choose, with open eyes, where’er it leads,76
And down which none are forced by his unwilling will—77
Life is free choice, and unto every one78
Is given that God within that cries— “ Succeed ! ”79
Man alone can make man fail—80
****
Could ye but know me as I am,81
Ye would o’ercourt me,82
And life’s “ quick” world would be of life bereft,83
And Heaven’s—perchance Hell’s—doors84
Be overthronged by those, for love of me,85
Clamouring for entrance there.86
I bring to the weary—rest,87
To the restless—peace,88
To the wakeful—sleep,89
To the Dead—Life,90
To the Problem—Solution,91
And ye call me Death !—92
“ Death the destroyer,”93
“ Death, cruel Death ! ”94
Call me not Death :95
Call me Life—Love—Peace !96