Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
America: Vols. XXV–XXIX. 1876–79.

New England: Cambridge, Mass.

St. John’s, Cambridge

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882)

I STAND beneath the tree whose branches shade

Thy western window, Chapel of St. John!

And hear its leaves repeat their benison

On him whose hand thy stones memorial laid;

Then I remember one of whom was said,

In the world’s darkest hour, “Behold thy son!”

And see him living still, and wandering on

And waiting for the advent long delayed.

Not only tongues of the apostles teach

Lessons of love and light, but these expanding

And sheltering boughs with all their leaves implore,

And say in language clear as human speech,

“The peace of God, that passeth understanding,

Be and abide with you forevermore!”