The New Light

THE dark before the day,
The dawning silver-gray,
Is sweet with treasured fragrance overrun ;
So went my girlhood’s hours,
And, folded like the flowers,
The heart of life was waiting for its sun.

In the pale east I saw
The gleaming stars withdraw,
The fairy lights of childhood, one by one ;
O gladder light of youth,
And sweeter tale of truth !
What star did ever whisper of the sun ?

Before the morning spring,
The birds awake and sing ;
What is it? − but they twitter mystery,−
And all my thoughts, like birds,
Sing music without words,
And flutter, flutter, and I wonder why!

All in the dawning still
The woods begin to thrill,
Through silent aisles the eager whispers run;
O peace, my foolish heart?
What makes thee throb and start ? −
He’s coming, coming, − lo, it is the sun!

O, while the skies were gray,
Where hast thou been, my Day ?
And where was I in dreams apart from thee ?
What land hath let thee go
To smile upon me so ?
What hand hath led thee all the way to me ?

No longer stay the streams,
Hushed in the moonlight gleams,
Now all the darkling oracles are dumb ;
No more inquire and wait,
At threshold of thy fate ;
Enter a queen, O heart ! the king is come !