Opportunity.

I do not know, if, climbing some steep hillThrough fragrant wooded pass, this glimpse I bought;Or whether in some mid-day I was caughtTo upper air, where visions of God’s willIn pictures to our quickened sense fulfilHis word. But this I saw:A path I soughtThrough wall of rock. No human fingers wroughtThe golden gates which opened, suddenly, still,And wide. My fear was hushed by my delight.Surpassing fair the lands; my path lay plain;Alas! So spell-bound, feasting on the sight,I paused, that I but reached the threshold bright,When, swinging swift, the golden gates againWere rocky walls, by which I wept in vain!H. H.

I do not know, if, climbing some steep hillThrough fragrant wooded pass, this glimpse I bought;Or whether in some mid-day I was caughtTo upper air, where visions of God’s willIn pictures to our quickened sense fulfilHis word. But this I saw:A path I soughtThrough wall of rock. No human fingers wroughtThe golden gates which opened, suddenly, still,And wide. My fear was hushed by my delight.Surpassing fair the lands; my path lay plain;Alas! So spell-bound, feasting on the sight,I paused, that I but reached the threshold bright,When, swinging swift, the golden gates againWere rocky walls, by which I wept in vain!H. H.

I do not know, if, climbing some steep hillThrough fragrant wooded pass, this glimpse I bought;Or whether in some mid-day I was caughtTo upper air, where visions of God’s willIn pictures to our quickened sense fulfilHis word. But this I saw:A path I soughtThrough wall of rock. No human fingers wroughtThe golden gates which opened, suddenly, still,And wide. My fear was hushed by my delight.Surpassing fair the lands; my path lay plain;Alas! So spell-bound, feasting on the sight,I paused, that I but reached the threshold bright,When, swinging swift, the golden gates againWere rocky walls, by which I wept in vain!H. H.

I do not know, if, climbing some steep hill

Through fragrant wooded pass, this glimpse I bought;

Or whether in some mid-day I was caught

To upper air, where visions of God’s will

In pictures to our quickened sense fulfil

His word. But this I saw:

A path I sought

Through wall of rock. No human fingers wrought

The golden gates which opened, suddenly, still,

And wide. My fear was hushed by my delight.

Surpassing fair the lands; my path lay plain;

Alas! So spell-bound, feasting on the sight,

I paused, that I but reached the threshold bright,

When, swinging swift, the golden gates again

Were rocky walls, by which I wept in vain!

H. H.


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