Poems (Hoffman)/No Hope
NO HOPE
1885
1885
No hope? Yes, it is said there is no hope;
O woman, with thy patient, pleading face,
Is there no hope beyond the tomb for thee?
No hope beyond the coffin's cold embrace?
No hope? Alas, the verdict must be true,
And Death has set his seal upon thy brow;
But is there no star left in thy dark sky,
No promise in the future for thee now?
Listen, the Christmas bells are ringing yet;
Look, the dark sky is set with many a gem;
Read in their sweet and gentle ministry
The story of the star of Bethlehem.
Read of the cross and lonely sepulcher,
Read of the glorious resurrection morn,
Then listen while the silver bells repeat:
"To you in Bethlehem a King is born;"
Then ask with faltering breath: "Is there no hope?"
No hope? To you immortal hope is given,
The faithful star of Bethlehem still shines,
To make thy hopeless grave a gate to Heaven.
O woman, with thy patient, pleading face,
Is there no hope beyond the tomb for thee?
No hope beyond the coffin's cold embrace?
No hope? Alas, the verdict must be true,
And Death has set his seal upon thy brow;
But is there no star left in thy dark sky,
No promise in the future for thee now?
Listen, the Christmas bells are ringing yet;
Look, the dark sky is set with many a gem;
Read in their sweet and gentle ministry
The story of the star of Bethlehem.
Read of the cross and lonely sepulcher,
Read of the glorious resurrection morn,
Then listen while the silver bells repeat:
"To you in Bethlehem a King is born;"
Then ask with faltering breath: "Is there no hope?"
No hope? To you immortal hope is given,
The faithful star of Bethlehem still shines,
To make thy hopeless grave a gate to Heaven.