Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Germany: Vols. XVII–XVIII. 1876–79.
A Truant Hour
By Henry Alford (18101871)T
Unmarked the moments glide along,
Save that around me scatters oft
Yon nightingale his pearls of song:—
That filled the streets erewhile, are gone;
The inner consciousness but feels
The lovely river rolling on.
As waters ere they plunge below,
Reflects a downward firmament
Of life and things, in gleamy show.
That reach them from their promise land,
The righteous souls, in stillest calm
Laid up in their Redeemer’s hand.
Back from their thoughts in light is given,
Deep firmaments of inward bliss
Far glittering into distant heaven.
The ages strike their solemn chime;
And from the ancient hills the stream
Rolls onward of predestined Time.