O heart of mine, intone love's songs in cheer,For spirit longs for friend who draweth near;
It delves behind the hidden veil to grope,I loose it forth—God guardeth all its hope;
I walked with Hope, whose goal was mine to hold,To meet perfection—please it, as foretold;
I've crossed men's world at dawn and dusk's decline,Nor feared this vale where jealous fortunes twine;
Life came—a term; life is no more than this:A spirit wandering till it finds its bliss;
Is life but riddle, problem to confound?The soul in mystery its likeness found;
A riddle driving reason's offeringsTo thought's altars—will thought lend its wings?
What sayest thou, eternal seeker, thenUnto these aspects of the enigma's ken?
These arts thou still dost fail to comprehend,A buried treasure—meanings without end;
These sciences appear diverse, arrayed,Nor thought their breadth nor purpose can persuade;
Thy heart's belief—couldst thou but know its way,Thy world from thee would drink good's endless spray;
Each mind hath window on eternity's ground,Wherefrom it greets a soul to commune round;
Without a guide, it errs upon that quest,The spirit's light knows well the path that's best;
Far, far from summits shall it climb unlessIt strives and struggles toward that high success;
O Time, be kind—the sweetness of life's dreamLike perfume to the soul, a freshening gleam;
O heart, intone love's merry lays with cheer,That wounded noble hearts may find thee near.
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