| |
| A SENTINEL angel, sitting high in glory, | |
| Heard this shrill wail ring out from Purgatory: | |
| “Have mercy, mighty angel, hear my story! | |
| |
| “I loved,—and, blind with passionate love, I fell. | |
| Love brought me down to death, and death to Hell; | 5 |
| For God is just, and death for sin is well. | |
| |
| “I do not rage against his high decree, | |
| Nor for myself do ask that grace shall be; | |
| But for my love on earth who mourns for me. | |
| |
| “Great Spirit! Let me see my love again | 10 |
| And comfort him one hour, and I were fain | |
| To pay a thousand years of fire and pain.” | |
| |
| Then said the pitying angel, “Nay, repent | |
| That wild vow! Look, the dial-finger’s bent | |
| Down to the last hour of thy punishment!” | 15 |
| |
| But still she wailed, “I pray thee, let me go! | |
| I cannot rise to peace and leave him so. | |
| O, let me soothe him in his bitter woe!” | |
| |
| The brazen gates ground sullenly ajar, | |
| And upwards, joyous, like a rising star, | 20 |
| She rose and vanished in the ether far. | |
| |
| But soon adown the dying sunset sailing, | |
| And like a wounded bird her pinions trailing, | |
| She fluttered back, with broken-hearted wailing. | |
| |
| She sobbed, “I found him by the summer sea | 25 |
| Reclined, his head upon a maiden’s knee,— | |
| She curled his hair and kissed him. Woe is me!” | |
| |
| She wept, “Now let my punishment begin! | |
| I have been fond and foolish. Let me in | |
| To expiate my sorrow and my sin.” | 30 |
| |
| The angel answered, “Nay, sad soul, go higher! | |
| To be deceived in your true heart’s desire | |
| Was bitterer than a thousand years of fire!” | |
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