Poems (Kimball)/When I Awake
WHEN I AWAKE.
Ps. xvii. 15.
WHEN I awake shall I Thine image bear, O Thou Adored?The image lost, in some pure Otherwhere Oh, shall it be restored?Already stealeth o'er my trembling soul Some semblance sweet,—The wavering outline of the perfect whole Thy Touch shall yet complete?
When I awake shall I indeed cast by All earthly taint, And walk with Thee in white, Thy white, on high, As seraph walks and saint?Through endless, blessed ages shall I know Thy Will alone; Its all-pervading, perfect motions grow More than mine own mine own?
The glories that no vision can forestall With crystal gleam; The peace, the rapture, and the holy thrall Of Love that reigns supreme; The death of all that meaneth self and time; The gain of Thee, My Lord, my God! the victory sublime When only Thou shalt be,—
Thou, all in all,—all in Thy fulness lost, And all, all found Dear beyond price, no aspiration crossed; Thou, only Thou our bound;—Shall I behold, receive, possess, attain All this and more To tell whereof all tongues would strive in vain, In vain all language pour?
Shall the Great Vision that transcends our dreams At last unfold? Thy Face, Thy Glory whence all glory streams Shall I indeed behold When I awake? Oh can it ever be, All joys beside, That I shall gaze and gaze, my God, on Thee? I shall be satisfied.