| |
| 34 |
And then, from the divinest luminary |
| 35 |
Of the inner ring, I heard a voice arise |
| 36 |
Mild as the Angel's was, belike, to Mary: |
| |
| 37 |
"Long as shall last the feast of Paradise, |
| 38 |
Even so long," it said, "our love shall lace |
| 39 |
This radiance round us for our festal guise. |
| |
| 40 |
In brightness with our fervour shall keep pace, |
| 41 |
Fevour with sight, sight so enlarge the mesh |
| 42 |
Of its own worth as it hath more of grace; |
| |
| 43 |
And when we put completeness on afresh, |
| 44 |
All the more gracious shall our person be, |
| 45 |
Reclothèd in the holy and
glorious flesh; |
| |
| 46 |
Whereby shall grow the unearned gift and free |
| 47 |
The Highest Good bestows -- that gift of light |
| 48 |
By which we are enabled Him to see; |
| |
| 49 |
Hence must we ever win to more of sight, |
| 50 |
And by more sight more fervour still acquire, |
| 51 |
And by more fervour radiance still more bright. |
| |
| 52 |
But, as the living coal which shoots forth fire |
| 53 |
Outgoes it in candescence, and is found |
| 54 |
Whole at the heart of it which shape entire, |
| |
| 55 |
The lustre which already swathes us round |
| 56 |
Shall be outlustred by the flesh, which long |
| 57 |
Day after day now moulders underground; |
| |
| 58 |
Nor shall that light have power to do us wrong, |
| 59 |
Since for all joys that shall delight us then |
| 60 |
The body's organs will be rendered strong." |
| |
