The Grave by Robert Blair

Author:Robert Blair [Blair, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Poesía, Filosófico
Publisher: ePubLibre
Published: 1743-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

But know that thou must render up the dead,

And with high interest too! they are not thine ;

But only in thy keeping for a season,

Till the great promis'd day of restitution,

When loud diffusive sound from brazen trump

Of strong-lung'd cherub shall alarm thy captives,

And rouse the long, long sleepers into life,

Daylight, and liberty.— Then must thy doors fly open, and reveal

The minds that lay long forming under ground,

In their dark cells immur'd; but now full ripe,

And pure as silver from the crucible,

That twice has stood the torture of the fire,

And inquisition of the forge. We know

Th' illustrious Deliverer of mankind,

The Son of God, thee foil'd. Him in thy power

Thou could'st not hold ; self-vigorous he rose,

And shaking off thy fetters, soon retook

Those spoils his voluntary yielding lent:

(Sure pledge of our releasement from thy thrall!)

Twice twenty days he sojourn'd here on earth,

And shew'd himself alive to chosen witnesses,

By proofs so strong, that the most slow assenting

Had not a scruple left. This having done,

He mounted up to Heaven. Methinks I see him

Climb th' aerial heights, and glide along

Athwart the severing clouds : but the faint eye,

Flung backwards in the chase, soon drops it's hold,

Disabled quite, and jaded with pursuing.

Heaven's portals wide expand to let him in ;

Nor are his friends shut out: as a great prince

Not for himself alone procures admission,

But for his train ; it was his royal will,

That where he is there should his followers be.

Death only lies between, a gloomy path!

Made yet more gloomy by our coward fears!

But nor untrod, nor tedious : the fatigue

Will soon go off. Besides, there's no bye-road

To bliss. Then why, like ill-condition'd children,

Start we at transient hardships in the way

That leads to purer air and softer skies,

And a ne'er-setting sun ? Fools that we are!

We wish to be where sweets imwith'ring bloom ;

But straight our wish revoke, and will not go.

So have I seen, upon a summer's ev'n,

Fast by the riv'let's brink, a youngster play:

How wishfully he looks to stem the tide!

This moment resolute, next unresolv'd,

At last he dips his foot; but, as he dips,

His fears redouble, and he runs away

From th' inoffensive stream, unmindful now

Of all the flowers that paint the further bank,

And smiPd so sweet of late. Thrice welcome Death!

That, after many a painful bleeding step,

Conducts us to our home, and lands us safe

On the long - wish'd - for shore. Prodigious change!

Our bane turn'd to a blessing! Death disarmed

Loses its fellness quite ; all thanks to him

Who scourg'd the venom out! Sure the last end

Of the good man is peace. How calm his exit!

Night-dews fall not more gently to the ground,

Nor weary worn-out winds expire so soft.

Behold him in the ev'ning tide of life,

A life well spent, whose early care it was

His riper years should not upbraid his green:

By unperceiv'd degrees he wears away;

Yet like the sun seems larger at his setting!

High in his faith and hopes, look how he reaches

After the prize in view! and, like a bird

That's hamper'd, struggles hard to get away!

Whilst the glad gates of sight are wide

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