A VISION OF LOVE
And the awe which comes upon man at the passing away of night fell upon us, and I bethought me again of the words of the wise king, Until the day break, and the shadows flee away. And a strong yearning was begotten within me, and a sob burst forth from my mouth up out of my heart, and my lips said inaudibly, Ah, that the day would break, and the shadows verily and indeed flee away; and the spirit essayed to escape, and in travail I sought help of my Soul, and it was given unto me, and he spoke these words: Put thy sorrowing away from thee, for the sword shall not again cruelly cleave thy spirit; yet, as I told thee before we stood upon the threshold of the ruined temple we have erewhile left, another trial shall be laid upon thee, and the spirit must needs crouch beneath the weight of it; but, albeit sorrow shall go up as a mist before thee, when thou beholdest what is at hand, thou shalt see, as behind a thick cloud, the presence of light; in the coming vision shall be dimly heralded his effulgence; it shall appear in thine eyes as it were the strong weeping that goes before joy; and as the springing forth of hope from despair: it shall not be seen of thee as a dark mystery; thy spirit will look into it
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