Poems (Becker)/Hereafter
HEREAFTER.
ALL-FATHER.
A QUESTION trembles on thine eager lip,
My new-born Spirit; speak!
A QUESTION trembles on thine eager lip,
My new-born Spirit; speak!
SPIRIT.
My Father, when I dwelt on earth,
Thou gavest me a loving heart;
And yet through love my greatest suffering came.
Why gavest thou the power to love?
My Father, when I dwelt on earth,
Thou gavest me a loving heart;
And yet through love my greatest suffering came.
Why gavest thou the power to love?
ALL-FATHER.
That thou mightst know the suffering.
That thou mightst know the suffering.
SPIRIT.
Again thou gavest me ambition.
Bravely I strove, my bleeding feet still striving;
Each step was failure. Why, O Majesty?
Again thou gavest me ambition.
Bravely I strove, my bleeding feet still striving;
Each step was failure. Why, O Majesty?
ALL-FATHER.
That thou mightst fail.
That thou mightst fail.
SPIRIT.
And wherefore gavest thou thy servant life,
Since he must know the grave?
And wherefore gavest thou thy servant life,
Since he must know the grave?
ALL-FATHER.
'T was only thus thou couldst know death.
'T was only thus thou couldst know death.
SPIRIT.
To suffer, fail, and die,—
Is that man's mission?
To suffer, fail, and die,—
Is that man's mission?
ALL-FATHER.
Suffering brings the creature nearer God;
Failure fixes his hopes on Heaven,
And through the grave he wins it.
Wouldst thou know more?
Suffering brings the creature nearer God;
Failure fixes his hopes on Heaven,
And through the grave he wins it.
Wouldst thou know more?
SPIRIT.
Like the forgotten fragrance of a flower
Comes the remembrance of an earthly prayer;
And from thy mantle, like a soothing balm,
There falls on me the holy peace
That passeth understanding.
Like the forgotten fragrance of a flower
Comes the remembrance of an earthly prayer;
And from thy mantle, like a soothing balm,
There falls on me the holy peace
That passeth understanding.