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he scath And live, with all her souls? For it is a beauteous thing That ships should sail the sea. Splendid is their plunge and swing Into waves that foam and fling Maelstroms at their bows to bring Them down to destiny. And she, too, courageous rides Away into the gloom. Now her lights are lost in tides Of the windy spray that glides Thro the darkness, Lord, abides Thy Dove with her--or Doom? I shall know perhaps some day, Or, knowing not, recall How my heart was fain to pray For a ship that bravely lay To her task: O Lord, so may Each vessel of us all! THE CROSS OF THE SEPULCHRE Within the Holy Sepulchre, breast-high, There is a cross uncounted lips have kissed, Millions the world to dust has long dismissed, Millions that now hope of it but to die. Pilgrims, I saw, from out far fervid lands Of superstition, North and West and South, Bend to it each a trembling, reverent mouth, Then kneel where Christ was said to loose Death's bands. And then I wondered if He who believed In the One God were wounded sore by this, Whether He shrinks at each ecstatic kiss, Or knowing how humanity is grieved, Knows too that it is better to give Hope Than Truth, if only one is in man's scope. THE NUN A lone palm leans in the moonlight Over a convent wall. The sea below is waking and breaking With quiet heave and fall. A young nun sits at the window; For Heaven she is too fair; Yet even the Dove of God might nest In her bosom beating there. A lone ship sails from the harbour: Whom does it bear away? Her lover who sin-hearted has parted And left her but to pray? She has no lover, nor ever Has heard afar love's sigh. Only the convent's vesper vow Has ever dimmed her eye. For naught knows she of her beauty, More than the palm of its peace; And who beyond Christ's portal to mortal Desires would bend her knees? The ways of the World have flowers, And any who will pluck those; But let there ever be a place Where none may pluck God's rose. ALPINE CHANT I'm tramping thro the mountains, They are rising white around me, Snow peaks like patriarchs That Winter has enthroned. I'm tramping up the valleys Where the cataracts sound me Thunders they have shrilly From eternity intoned. I'm tramping thro the mountains, With the clouds for my companions, Soft clouds that float and cling From crag to cloven crag. I'm passing by the cha
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