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| AH, more and more at evening, | |
| When twilight edges to its end, | |
| And darkness, eastern caverns leaving, | |
| Her shadow o’er creation bend; | |
| The lowing moments foster meaning | 5 |
| Upon the pageant of decay, | |
| As glory into night diffusing | |
| Brings untoward sadness in her way. | |
| |
| Within that evening calm there comes | |
| A recollection faint and dim | 10 |
| Of boyhood, of Sabbath hour and homes, | |
| Of synagogue and temple hymn, | |
| When in abated breath we heard | |
| The echoes of our spirit-fathers, | |
| In praise and reverential word | 15 |
| Of prayer. This spirit hovers. | |
| |
| Their hymns re-echo in my dreams, | |
| They too felt doubt, despondency; | |
| And saw our mistrusts also beam | |
| In thought. The poet and sages fancy | 20 |
| Gave them hope beyond our mind, | |
| More truthful to the thought of God, | |
| To attributes that firmly bind | |
| A God above—yet man to sod. | |
| |
| For ages have Thy children sought | 25 |
| And find Thy mercy hath no end, | |
| Greater thought and deeds are wrought | |
| On earth to-day, than in the trend | |
| Of generations turned to dust; | |
| Still must with love our bosom heave, | 30 |
| With hope and common manful trust, | |
| The rest—to God we meekly leave. | |
| |
| And lo! upon yon lum’nous ascent, | |
| There glitters joyously the star | |
| Proclaiming night. Ah, day hath sent | 35 |
| Her messengers of light afar, | |
| Come spirit of the evening, dwell | |
| With us, and in our life’s increase | |
| Of doubt and the annoying spell, | |
| Of discontent—to us—bring peace. | 40 |
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