Poems (Jordan)/To a Butterfly
For works with similar titles, see To a Butterfly.
TO A BUTTERFLY
With soft wings closed in the frame of a worm;
Trailing in dust Heaven's Time cradled germ,
God's perfect purpose hath measured the term
Of thy bondage to toil and night;
Binous creature! chambered in mystic cell
Thy life's past and future did'st briefly dwell,
While upon them was wrought the priestly spell,
Making one their Death-riven light
Trailing in dust Heaven's Time cradled germ,
God's perfect purpose hath measured the term
Of thy bondage to toil and night;
Binous creature! chambered in mystic cell
Thy life's past and future did'st briefly dwell,
While upon them was wrought the priestly spell,
Making one their Death-riven light
And thou—incarnate Immortality!
Brilliant, moving, tangible Mystery!
Blessed, ungainsayable Prophecy!—
Hast doffed the tombing chrysalis,
And ris'n a color-clothed blossom of air,
Floating free in the space 'twixt Here and There,
To, by thy eloquent presence, declare
A loftier, happier World than this!
Brilliant, moving, tangible Mystery!
Blessed, ungainsayable Prophecy!—
Hast doffed the tombing chrysalis,
And ris'n a color-clothed blossom of air,
Floating free in the space 'twixt Here and There,
To, by thy eloquent presence, declare
A loftier, happier World than this!
God ordained, nationless preacher of Truth—
Attired for thy holy office, forsooth,
In garments which signify endless youth,
And a more congenial clime—
Our minds, imprisoned 1n bodies, here;
Our spirits, cramped in Earth's limited sphere,
Hail with great gladness the word thou dost bear,
Of the Life op'ning out of Time!
Attired for thy holy office, forsooth,
In garments which signify endless youth,
And a more congenial clime—
Our minds, imprisoned 1n bodies, here;
Our spirits, cramped in Earth's limited sphere,
Hail with great gladness the word thou dost bear,
Of the Life op'ning out of Time!