Poems (Barker)/To Grandma on her First Birthday in Heaven

by Alice J. Green Barker

On Her 1st Birthday in Heaven.

Ring out in glad rapture,
 Sweet chorus of praise,
 Ring out for the glory
That fills all her days.
Ring out for the rest
 That has come after pain;
 While those who have loved her
Join in the retrain.

Ring out tor the freedom
 From sorrow and care;
 Ring out tor the brightness,
That reigns everywhere.
O, lift up the curtain
 That hides from our view,
 The rest and the peace
To her spirit so new.

Let us feast on the joy
 In the sweet patient eyes,
 That have gazed on her Saviour
In rapt'rous surprise.
Let us look at those arms
 That have clasped to her breast,
 The darlings, that early
Have flown from our nest.

Ring out in glad chorus,
 Our eyes cannot see,
 For weak is our vision,
God meant it to be.
But into our soul
 He has opened a door,
 For sweet floods of sound.
From the Heavenly shore.

And on this, the day
 Which so dearly we prize,
 Though weak is our vision.
Sin blinded our eyes,
Our souls lifted up
 On the wings of their love,
 Joins the song
Of the Heavenly singers above.

Ring out, oh sweet chorus,
 The long night is past,
 The fair, purple morning
Dawns brightly at last.
"The stars sing together,"
 For her, whom we love
 Is safe in the Courts
Of the blessed, above.