Poems (Sharpless)/The Taj Mahal
THE TAJ MAHAL[1]A CHRISTMAS THOUGHT
'Tis not of sequence that her mortal gifts
Were richer than all women's, she for whom
The Taj Mahal its fairy towers lifts
Till all the world stands hushed before her tomb.
Were richer than all women's, she for whom
The Taj Mahal its fairy towers lifts
Till all the world stands hushed before her tomb.
Tho' weeping love, thro' lonely nights and days
Wrought out each tender memory to a shrine
So wondrous fair, envy can naught but praise
And time respect, a marvel so divine.
Wrought out each tender memory to a shrine
So wondrous fair, envy can naught but praise
And time respect, a marvel so divine.
Was she then fairest, being so beloved?
Nay, but her lover, noblest of his race,
Who thus his mourning constancy has proved,
Love being given of its own free grace.
Nay, but her lover, noblest of his race,
Who thus his mourning constancy has proved,
Love being given of its own free grace.
In pondering this, I dimly come to guess
Little by little, of the abounding flow
Of God's great love that seeks His child to bless,
And draws him to Himself from sin and woe.
Little by little, of the abounding flow
Of God's great love that seeks His child to bless,
And draws him to Himself from sin and woe.
Seeking our souls amid the dews of night
Our Lord stands, knocking on the fast-closed door;
"Let Me but enter, I will bring thee light,
And life, and peace, and love, forevermore."
Our Lord stands, knocking on the fast-closed door;
"Let Me but enter, I will bring thee light,
And life, and peace, and love, forevermore."
"What am I, Lord, that from Thine high abode,
Thou unto me should stoop?" "Behold," saith He,
"Thou are beloved; thou art a child of God,
And of My boundless love I gather thee."
Thou unto me should stoop?" "Behold," saith He,
"Thou are beloved; thou art a child of God,
And of My boundless love I gather thee."
Oh! blessed day, oh! holy Christmas-tide;
Shine in our hearts with ever fuller light
Until, from all the earth on every side,
Glad smiles respond, in times of pure delight,
Shine in our hearts with ever fuller light
Until, from all the earth on every side,
Glad smiles respond, in times of pure delight,
To the grand chorus that announced the birth
Of love divine, among the sons of men;
"Glory to God on high, and on the earth
Peace and good-will; Amen; Amen."
Of love divine, among the sons of men;
"Glory to God on high, and on the earth
Peace and good-will; Amen; Amen."
- ↑ The Taj Mahal is a superb mausoleum of white marble and precious stones, erected to the memory of Mumtaz Mahal, by her husband Shah Jahan, of Mogul, in a beautiful garden in the city of Agra. Mumtaz Mahal died in 1615,and was a niece of Noor Mahal, celebrated in Moore's "Lalla Rookh."