Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IV. The Higher Life. 1904. | | | | VII. Death: Immortality: Heaven | | Thoughts of Heaven | | Robert Nicoll (1814–1837) |
| | | HIGH thoughts! | |
| They come and go, | |
| Like the soft breathings of a listening maiden, | |
| While round me flow | |
| The winds, from woods and fields with gladness laden: | 5 |
| When the corn’s rustle on the ear doth come— | |
| When the eve’s beetle sounds its drowsy hum— | |
| When the stars, dew-drops of the summer sky, | |
| Watch over all with soft and loving eye— | |
| While the leaves quiver | 10 |
| By the lone river, | |
| And the quiet heart | |
| From depths doth call | |
| And garners all— | |
| Earth grows a shadow | 15 |
| Forgotten whole, | |
| And heaven lives | |
| In the blessèd soul! | |
| |
| High thoughts | |
| They are with me | 20 |
| When, deep within the bosom of the forest, | |
| Thy mourning melody | |
| Abroad into the sky, thou, throstle! pourest. | |
| When the young sunbeams glance among the trees— | |
| When on the ear comes the soft song of bees— | 25 |
| When every branch has its own favorite bird | |
| And songs of summer from each thicket heard!— | |
| Where the owl flitteth, | |
| Where the roe sitteth, | |
| And holiness | 30 |
| Seems sleeping there; | |
| While nature’s prayer | |
| Goes up to heaven | |
| In purity, | |
| Till all is glory | 35 |
| And joy to me! | |
| |
| High thoughts! | |
| They are my own | |
| When I am resting on a mountain’s bosom, | |
| And see below me strown | 40 |
| The huts and homes where humble virtues blossom; | |
| When I can trace each streamlet through the meadow, | |
| When I can follow every fitful shadow— | |
| When I can watch the winds among the corn, | |
| And see the waves along the forest borne; | 45 |
| Where blue-bell and heather | |
| Are blooming together, | |
| And far doth come | |
| The Sabbath bell, | |
| O’er wood and fell; | 50 |
| I hear the beating | |
| Of nature’s heart: | |
| Heaven is before me— | |
| God! thou art. | |
| |
| High thoughts! | 55 |
| They visit us | |
| In moments when the soul is dim and darkened; | |
| They come to bless, | |
| After the vanities to which we hearkened: | |
| When weariness hath come upon the spirit— | 60 |
| (Those hours of darkness which we all inherit)— | |
| Bursts there not through a glint of warm sunshine, | |
| A wingèd thought which bids us not repine? | |
| In joy and gladness, | |
| In mirth and sadness, | 65 |
| Come signs and tokens; | |
| Life’s angel brings, | |
| Upon its wings, | |
| Those bright communings | |
| The soul doth keep— | 70 |
| Those thoughts of heaven | |
| So pure and deep! | | | | |
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