| |
| TWO angels came through the gate of Heaven. | |
| (White and soft is a mother’s breast!) | |
| Stayed them both by the gate of Heaven; | |
| Rested a little on folded wings, | |
| Spake a little of holy things. | 5 |
| (In Heaven alone is perfect rest!) | |
| |
| Over them rose the golden steeps, | |
| Heaven’s castled and golden steeps; | |
| Under them, depth on depth of space | |
| Fell away from the holy place. | 10 |
| |
| “Brother, and now I must take my way, | |
| Glad and joyful must take my way, | |
| Down to the realm of day and night; | |
| Down to yon earth that rolls so bright.” | |
| |
| “Brother, I too am thither sent; | 15 |
| Sad and silent, am thither sent. | |
| Let us together softly wing | |
| Our flight to yon world of sorrowing.” | |
| |
| Down they swept through the shining air, | |
| Swiftly sped through the shining air,— | 20 |
| This one bright as the sunset’s glow, | |
| That one white as the falling snow. | |
| |
| “Brother, and tell me your errand now! | |
| Tell me your joyful errand now!” | |
| “A little new soul must wake on earth, | 25 |
| And I carry the blessing for its birth.” | |
| |
| “And tell me, brother, what task is yours? | |
| Dear white angel, what task is yours?” | |
| “To bear a soul back to Heaven’s height,— | |
| A mother, whose child is born to-night.” | 30 |
| |
| “Ah! will the mother be sad to go? | |
| Loath to leave her baby and go?” | |
| “Hush, dear angel! she will not know. | |
| God in His mercy wills it so.” | |
| |
| “Ah! will the baby wake forlorn? | 35 |
| Seek its mother, and weep forlorn?” | |
| “Hush, dear angel! we may not know. | |
| God, knowing all things, wills it so.” | |
| |
| Down they swept through the dusky air | |
| Swiftly sped through the dusky air; | 40 |
| Trod the dim earth with noiseless feet; | |
| Softly stole through a village street. | |
| |
| Now they came to a cottage door, | |
| Stayed them both at a cottage door,— | |
| This one bright as the sunset’s glow, | 45 |
| That one white as the falling snow. | |
| |
| “Brother, I trow we here must part! | |
| Dear white angel, we here must part! | |
| For this low door I must enter by.” | |
| “Alas! and alas! so too must I!” | 50 |
| |
| Sad they gazed in each other’s face; | |
| (White and soft is a mother’s breast;) | |
| Lingered and looked in each other’s face; | |
| Then folded their hands in silent prayer, | |
| And so together they entered there. | 55 |
| (In Heaven alone is perfect rest.) | |
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