Once, at the wave of his wand, all the billows of
musical sound
Followed his will, as the sea was ruled by the
prophet of old:
Now that his hand is relaxed, and his rod has
dropped to the ground,
Silent and dark are the shores where the mar-
vellous harmonies rolled!
Nay, but not silent the hearts that were filled by
that life-giving sea;
Deeper and purer forever the tides of their
being will roll,
Grateful and joyful, O Master, because they have
listened to thee,—
The glory of music endures in the depths of
the human soul.
STARS AND THE SOUL
(To Charles A. Young, Astronomer)
"Two things," the wise man said, "fill me
with awe:
The starry heavens and the moral law."
Nay, add another wonder to thy roll,—
The living marvel of the human soul!
Born in the dust and cradled in the dark,
It feels the fire of an immortal spark,
And learns to read, with patient, searching eyes,
The splendid secret of the unconscious skies.
For God thought Light before He spoke the word;
The darkness understood not, though it heard:
But man looks up to where the planets swim,
And thinks God's thoughts of glory after Him.
What knows the star that guides the sailor's way,
Or lights the lover's bower with liquid ray,
Of toil and passion, danger and distress,
Brave hope, true love, and utter faithfulness?
But human hearts that suffer good and ill,
And hold to virtue with a loyal will,
Adorn the law that rules our mortal strife
With star-surpassing victories of life.
So take our thanks, dear reader of the skies,
Devout astronomer, most humbly wise,
For lessons brighter than the stars can give,
And inward light that helps us all to live.