THE MIRACLE AND OTHER POEMS***
E-text prepared by Al Haines, Victoria, B.C., Canada, January 2004
THE MIRACLE
AND OTHER POEMS
BY VIRNA SHEARD
1913
TO MY DEAR BROTHER
ELDRIDGE STANTON (JUNIOR)
WHO DIED BRAVELY AT NIAGARA, ON THE AFTERNOON OF SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH, 1912.
No tears for thee, no tears, or sighs, Or breaking heart-- But smiles, that thou so well that bitter hour Didst play thy part!
VIRNA SHEARD.
CONTENTS
THE MIRACLE THE CROW WHEN APRIL COMES KISMET A SONG OF SUMMER DAYS AT THE PLAY CHRISTMAS THE HEART COURAGEOUS A SONG THE CALL THE KNIGHT-ERRANT A SOUTHERN LULLABY THE FAIRY CLOCK THE SLUMBER ANGEL THE LONELY ROAD SEA-BORN THE ANGEL WHEN CHRISTMAS COMES THE OPAL MONTH NOCTURNE A SONG OF LOVE THE UNKNOWING THE PETITION HALLOWE'EN THE GLEANER THE ROVER IN SOLITUDE THE ROBIN A SONG OF ROSES PRAIRIE THE CUMBER THE DAISY THE VISION SAINTS AT MIDNIGHT NOVEMBER THE LILY-POND LILACS APRIL PAEANS THE HARP GULLS THE SHEPHERD WIND THE TEMPLE REQUEST A SONG THE TOAST THE SEA-SHELL AT DAWN THE WHISTLER COMMON-WEALTH DON CUPID HEAVEN SIR HENRY IRVING JEAN DE BREBOEUF IN EGYPT A SONG OF POPPIES A PAGAN PRAYER A LOVE SONG
THE MIRACLE AND OTHER POEMS
THE MIRACLE
Up from the templed city of the Jews, The road ran straight and white To Jericho, the City of the Palms, The City of Delight.
Down that still road from far Judean hills The shepherds drove their sheep At silver dawn--at stirring of the birds-- When men were all asleep.
Full many went that weary way at noon, Or rested by the trees, Romans and slaves, Gentiles and bearded priests, Sinners and Pharisees.
But when the pink clouds drifted far and high, Like rose leaves blowing past, When in the west where one star blessed the sky The gates of day shut fast.
All travellers journeyed home, and the moonlight Washed the road fresh and sweet, Until it seemed a gleaming ivory path, Waiting for royal feet.
* * * * *
Now it was noon, and life at its full tide Rolled ever to and fro, A restless sea, between Jerusalem And white-walled Jericho.
Blind Bartimeus, by the highway side, Sat begging 'neath the trees, And heard the world go by, Gentiles and Jews, Sinners and Pharisees.
Blind Bartimeus of the mask-like face, And patient, outstretched hand-- He upon whom his God had set a mark No man might understand;
Blind Bartimeus of the lonely dark, Who knew no thing called fear, But dreamt his dreams, and heard the little sounds No man but he could hear.
He heard the beating of the bird's soft wings Uprising through the air; He heard the camel's footfall in the dust, And knew who travelled there.
He heard the lizard when it moved at noon On the grey, sunlit wall; He heard the far-off temple bells, what time He felt the shadows fall.
Now, in the golden hour, he stooped to hear A muffled sound and low, The tramping of a myriad sandalled feet That came from Jericho.
Then on the road a little lad he knew Ran past, with eager cry, "Ho, Bartimeus! Give thine heart good cheer, For David's Son comes by!
"He comes! He comes! And, sad one, who can say What He may do for thee? He makes the lame to walk! He heals the sick! He makes the blind to see!"
"He makes the blind to see! Oh, God of Hosts, Beyond the sky called blue, What if Messiah cometh to His own! What if the words be true!"
