| |
| BESIDE the dead I knelt for prayer, | |
| And felt a presence as I prayed. | |
| Lo! it was Jesus standing there. | |
| He smiled: “Be not afraid!” | |
| |
| “Lord, Thou hast conquered death we know; | 5 |
| Restore again to life,” I said, | |
| “This one who died an hour ago.” | |
| He smiled: “She is not dead!” | |
| |
| “Asleep then, as thyself did say; | |
| Yet thou canst lift the lids that keep | 10 |
| Her prisoned eyes from ours away!” | |
| He smiled: “She doth not sleep!” | |
| |
| “Nay then, tho’ haply she do wake, | |
| And look upon some fairer dawn, | |
| Restore her to our hearts that ache!” | 15 |
| He smiled: “She is not gone!” | |
| |
| “Alas! too well we know our loss, | |
| Nor hope again our joy to touch, | |
| Until the stream of death we cross.” | |
| He smiled: “There is no such!” | 20 |
| |
| “Yet our belovèd seem so far, | |
| The while we yearn to feel them near, | |
| Albeit with Thee we trust they are.” | |
| He smiled: “And I am here!” | |
| |
| “Dear Lord, how shall we know that they | 25 |
| Still walk unseen with us and Thee, | |
| Nor sleep, nor wander far away?” | |
| He smiled: “Abide in Me.” | |
| |
