a child of God

Today marks the anniversary of the death of the poet Jones Very (1813-1880). Without question, Very is one of the more fascinating figures of Boston Unitarianism (an online biography can be read here) I will no doubt write more on Very as time passes, but for now a couple of poems...

The Son

Father, I wait thy word. The sun doth stand

Beneath the mingling line of night and day,

A listening servant, waiting thy command

To roll rejoicing on its silent way;

The tongue of time abides the appointed hour,

Till on our ear its silent warnings fall;

The heavy cloud withholds the pelting shower,

Then every drop speeds onward at thy call;

The bird reposes on the yielding bough,

With breast unswollen by the tide of song;

So does my spirit wait thy presence now

To pour thy praise in quickening life along,

Chiding with voice divine man’s lengthened sleep,

While round the Unuttered Word and Love their vigils keep.

The New Birth

Tis a new life;--thoughts move not as they did

With slow uncertain steps across my mind,

In thronging haste fast pressing on they bid

The portals open to the viewless wind

That comes not save when in the dust is laid

The crown of pride that gilds each mortal brow,

And from before man's vision melting fade

The heavens and earth;--their walls are falling now.--

Fast crowding on, each thought asks utterance strong;

Storm-lifted waves swift rushing to the shore,

On from the sea they send their shouts along,

Back through the cave-worn rocks their thunders roar;

And I a child of God by Christ made free

Start from death's slumbers to Eternity.

RIP