Poems (Argent)/The Angel of Hope

by Alice Emily Argent

THE ANGEL OF HOPE.

 

"Hope is the third blossom of the flower of Love, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."

I HEARD a footstep in the night,
 A spirit footstep low and fair,
I saw a vision wondrous bright
 Of silver wings within the air!

A heavenly visitant, I thought,
 To rouse me from despair and gloom
And as I gazed I faintly caught
 A radiant form within the room.

And then a voice so purely sweet
 Fell on mine ear as music's strain,
Or, like the melody of wheat
 That rustles softly after rain.

I felt a hand upon my head
 And shadowy eyes looked into mine
I gazed as one upon the dead
 Who sees the human yet divine!

And then the voice so beautiful
 Said lovingly, "Look up and trust:
No heart for ever should be dull
 And, worm-like, grovel in the dust.

"Look up and hope, the twilight hour
 Will pass away and morning rise
With love and gladness, for the flower
 Of loving kindness never dies.

"The heaviness that presses close
 About you at the death of day
Will, like the beauty of a rose,
 Burst into joy with morning's ray.

"Forget your griefs, the frets that rend
 (Or, seem to rend) your heart in twain,
The bruised reed may weakly bend,
 God makes it strong and straight again;

"And somewhere in this earthly sphere
 Are happy souls and psalms of praise,
And somewhere falls the burning tear
 As men go mourning all their days.

"Go smile with them who smile to-day,
 Add to their joy your widow's mite,
And with the sorrowing weep and pray,
 Oh! be a star upon their night!"

The spirit voice that seemed to cope
 With all my selfish griefs and gloom
Ceased suddenly,—the Angel Hope
 Had lifted into peace my room.

I knew her by the lotus leaf
 She dropped, as heavenwards in her flight
She winged her way, and lo! my grief
 Was touched as by a rainbow light!