Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IV. The Higher Life. 1904. | | | | VII. Death: Immortality: Heaven | | The Answer | | Anonymous |
| | | “WHO would not go” | |
| With buoyant steps, to gain that blessed portal, | |
| Which opens to the land we long to know? | |
| Where shall be satisfied the soul’s immortal, | |
| Where we shall drop the wearying and the woe | 5 |
| In resting so? | |
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| “Ah, who would fear?” | |
| Since, sometimes through the distant pearly portal, | |
| Unclosing to some happy soul a-near, | |
| We catch a gleam of glorious light immortal, | 10 |
| And strains of heavenly music faintly hear, | |
| Breathing good cheer! | |
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| “Who would endure” | |
| To walk in doubt and darkness with misgiving, | |
| When he whose tender promises are sure— | 15 |
| The Crucified, the Lord, the Ever-living— | |
| Keeps us those “mansions” evermore secure | |
| By waters pure? | |
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| Oh, wondrous land! | |
| Fairer than all our spirit’s fairest dreaming: | 20 |
| “Eye hath not seen,” no heart can understand | |
| The things prepared, the cloudless radiance streaming. | |
| How longingly we wait our Lord’s command— | |
| His opening hand! | |
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| O dear ones there! | 25 |
| Whose voices, hushed, have left our pathway lonely, | |
| We come, erelong, your blessèd home to share; | |
| We take the guiding hand, we trust it only— | |
| Seeing, by faith, beyond this clouded air, | |
| That land so fair! | 30 | | | |
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