John Hall Wheelock

[Guest guest]

A child, when it begins to speak, learns what it is that it knows.

 

 

 

Life

Life burns us up like fire,

And Song goes up in flame:

The radiant body smoulders

To the ashes whence it came.

 

Out of things it rises

With a mouth that laughs and sings,

Backward it fades and falters

Into the char of things.

 

Yet soars a voice above it --

Love is holy and strong;

The best of us forever

Escapes in Love and Song.

 

John Hall Wheelock

 

 

 

 

 

Nirvana

Sleep on -- I lie at heaven's high oriels,

Over the stars that murmur as they go

Lighting your lattice-window far below;

And every star some of the glory spells

Whereof I know.

I have forgotten you, long long ago;

Like the sweet, silver singing of thin bells

Vanished, or music fading faint and low.

Sleep on -- I lie at heaven's high oriels,

Who loved you so.

 

John Hall Wheelock

 

 

 

 

Exile from God

I do not fear to lay my body down

In death, to share

The life of the dark earth and lose my own,

If God is there.

 

I have so loved all sense of Him, sweet might

Of color and sound, --

His tangible loveliness and living light

That robes me 'round.

 

If to His heart in the hushed grave and dim

We sink more near,

It shall be well -- living we rest in Him.

Only I fear

 

Lest from my God in lonely death I lapse,

And the dumb clod

Lose him; for God is life, and death perhaps

Exile from God.

 

John Hall Wheelock

 

 

 

 

The Unknown Beloved

I dreamed I passed a doorway

Where, for a sign of death,

White ribbons one was binding

About a flowery wreath.

 

What drew me so I know not,

But drawing near I said,

" Kind sir, and can you tell me

Who is it here lies dead? "

 

Said he, " Your most beloved

Died here this very day,

That had known twenty Aprils

Had she but lived till May. "

 

Astonished I made answer,

" Good sir, how say you so!

Here have I no beloved,

This house I do not know. "

 

Quoth he, " Who from the world's end

Was destined unto thee

Here lies, thy true beloved

Whom thou shalt never see. "

 

I dreamed I passed a doorway

Where, for a sign of death,

White ribbons one was binding

About a flowery wreath.

 

John Hall Wheelock