Poems (Freston)/Mizpah
For works with similar titles, see Mizpah.
MIZPAH
"God watch between us when we parted are!"
So, parting from me once, you softly prayed.
How long ago that tender low-toned prayer
Caught in the meshes of my heart and stayed.
Hearts beat the same in every race and clime,—
Touch the same chords and the same tune is played;
In fair Judea in the olden time,
The Hebrew youth, parting with Hebrew maid,
Prayed the same prayer, "Mizpah! God watch between,
When we are parted! Keep thee in His love!"
The rustling leaves murmured their sympathy,
The stars shone forth more brilliantly above.
So, parting from me once, you softly prayed.
How long ago that tender low-toned prayer
Caught in the meshes of my heart and stayed.
Hearts beat the same in every race and clime,—
Touch the same chords and the same tune is played;
In fair Judea in the olden time,
The Hebrew youth, parting with Hebrew maid,
Prayed the same prayer, "Mizpah! God watch between,
When we are parted! Keep thee in His love!"
The rustling leaves murmured their sympathy,
The stars shone forth more brilliantly above.
God was unheeding,—had too much to do
To watch between us all that long, sad time!
And so he sent us guardian angels two,
To guard from evil thought your heart and mine.
But we—we drove them from us, bade them go!
And welcomed in their stead the black-winged brood
Of evil birds that bring their gifts of woe,—
The jealous thought, the doubt of all things good,
The bitter mockery of each cherished dream,
The beauty of things gone beyond recall,
The loss of faith, when faith should stand supreme,
The loss of love, when love was all in all.
They cast their shadow twixt the sun and me,
The beauty of the world they darkened o'er,
The whiteness of the clouds I could not see,
The bird's song held no music as of yore.
The wave, in dancing, dimpling, ripples played.
The flowers gave bloom and perfume all in vain;
Nature with lavish hand her sweets displayed
And smiled her gratitude for sun and rain.
And my dear guardian angel drooped his wing,
And waited patiently alone, apart,
Until my wish should grant him leave to fling
Those birds of evil council from my heart.
To watch between us all that long, sad time!
And so he sent us guardian angels two,
To guard from evil thought your heart and mine.
But we—we drove them from us, bade them go!
And welcomed in their stead the black-winged brood
Of evil birds that bring their gifts of woe,—
The jealous thought, the doubt of all things good,
The bitter mockery of each cherished dream,
The beauty of things gone beyond recall,
The loss of faith, when faith should stand supreme,
The loss of love, when love was all in all.
They cast their shadow twixt the sun and me,
The beauty of the world they darkened o'er,
The whiteness of the clouds I could not see,
The bird's song held no music as of yore.
The wave, in dancing, dimpling, ripples played.
The flowers gave bloom and perfume all in vain;
Nature with lavish hand her sweets displayed
And smiled her gratitude for sun and rain.
And my dear guardian angel drooped his wing,
And waited patiently alone, apart,
Until my wish should grant him leave to fling
Those birds of evil council from my heart.
"God, watch between us when we parted are!"—
Are we not parted, more than if the world,
With all its mountains, prairies, stretching far,
Its rolling ocean, in whose heart lies furled
The secrets of the ages, lies between?
Are we not parted, more than if the world,
With all its mountains, prairies, stretching far,
Its rolling ocean, in whose heart lies furled
The secrets of the ages, lies between?
No parting great as that of heart from heart!
Though I have clasped your hand and may again,
We still are more than all the world apart.
I fain would reach across that space to-day,
With outstretched hands, and lips that cry in vain
For the dear gift of love, Fate stole away,
Leaving me desolate a prey to pain!
Though I have clasped your hand and may again,
We still are more than all the world apart.
I fain would reach across that space to-day,
With outstretched hands, and lips that cry in vain
For the dear gift of love, Fate stole away,
Leaving me desolate a prey to pain!
God watch between us! when the gates of Death
Swing back to let this weary soul pass through,
I'll ask but for the blessed boon, of Faith,
To watch with Hope beside that gate for you.
If it be dark, and drear, and desolate,
To find your groping hand enfold my own,
To face the terrors of the Infinite
And seek our way together to God's throne.
Swing back to let this weary soul pass through,
I'll ask but for the blessed boon, of Faith,
To watch with Hope beside that gate for you.
If it be dark, and drear, and desolate,
To find your groping hand enfold my own,
To face the terrors of the Infinite
And seek our way together to God's throne.