Henry Alford Poems

The stars are clear and frosty, and the Earth
Is laid in her first sleep, secure and calm;
The glorious works of God, as at the first,
...

'RISE,' said the Master, 'come unto the feast.'
She heard the call and rose with willing feet;
   But thinking it not otherwise than meet
For such a bidding to put on her best,
...

The cowslip standeth in the grass,
The primrose in the budding grove
Hath laid her pale fair breast
On the green sward to rest:
...

I was a young fair tree:
Each spring with quivering green
My boughs were clad; and far
Down the deep vale, a light
...

While our shrub--walks darken,
And the stars get bright aloft,
Still we sit and hearken
To the music low and soft;
...

In token that thou shalt not fear
Christ crucified to own,
We print the Cross upon thee here,
And stamp thee his alone.
...

Thus sung I in these grounds erewhile, perchance
Tempted by sudden aptitude of words
Into that measure which least pleaseth me,
...

I have found Peace in the bright earth
And in the sunny sky:
By the low voice of summer seas,
And where streams murmur by;
...

When I am in my grave,
The busy clouds will wander on;
This Moon, that silver--tips each dancing wave,
Will shine as it hath shone.
...

By Babylon streams we sat us down and wept,
When we remembered Zion mournfully;
As for our harps, we hanged them up
...