Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907. | | Amenophis and Other Poems (1892). VII. A Hymn of Repentance | By Francis Turner Palgrave (18241897) |
| WHEN low on lifes horizon, sunk from heaven, | |
The sun goes down, and night collects on high, | |
And grisly shapes of sin, as clouds storm-driven, | |
In sad procession move against the sky, | |
Lord, who can bear to die? | 5 |
But Thou sayst, No; | |
Not so; not so: | |
Though in deaths twilight terror take thee, | |
I will not leave thee or forsake thee. | |
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They pass, the sins of youth, once loved, now loathéd, | 10 |
In Passions purple hues and folly dyed; | |
The sins of age, with leper whiteness clothéd; | |
The lust, the lie, the selfishness, the pride: | |
Who may such sight abide? | |
But Thou sayst, No; | 15 |
Not so; not so: | |
Though dark remorse and shame oertake thee, | |
I will not leave thee or forsake thee. | |
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O Lord and Judge, when from Thy mouth the sentence, | |
Flames, and with prostrate knee and downcast eyes | 20 |
We sigh before the Throne our late repentance, | |
How should the spirit hope for wings to rise | |
To Heavens own Paradise? | |
But Thou sayst, No; | |
Not so; not so; | 25 |
To Him Who bled for man betake thee; | |
He will not leave thee or forsake thee. | |
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Thrice-holy Child, Who, pure from pure proceeding, | |
By Marys side in gifts and graces grew; | |
Thou Who for our sake once hung pale and bleeding, | 30 |
Wilt Thou exact from me the penance due, | |
Whose sins Thy death renew? | |
But Thou sayst, No; | |
Not so; not so; | |
Close to My wounded side I take thee; | 35 |
I will not leave thee or forsake thee. | | | |
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