On Beulah Height

(i)

And now the sun will rise as bright

As though no horror had touched the night.

The horror affected me alone.

The sunlight illumines everyone.

You must not dam up that dark infernal,

But drown it deep in light eternal!

So deep in my heart a small flame died.

Hail to the joyous morningtide!

(ii)

At last I think I see the explanation

Of those dark flames in many glances burning.

Such glances! As though in just one look so burning

You’d concentrate your whole soul’s conflagration.

I could not guess, lost in the obfuscation

Of blinding fate which hampered all discerning,

That even then your gaze was homeward turning,

Back to the source of all illumination.

You tried with all your might to speak this warning:

Though all our love is focused on you,

Yet our desires must bow to Fate’s strict bourning.

Look on us now, for soon we must go from you.

These eyes that open brightly every morning

In nights to come as stars will shine upon you.

(iii)

When your mother dear to my door draws near,

And my thoughts all centre there to see her enter

Not on her sweet face first off falls my gaze,

But a little past her seeking something after

There where your own dear features would appear

Lit with love and laughter bringing up the rear

As once my daughter dear.

When your mother dear to my door draws near,

Then I get the feeling you are softly stealing

With the candle’s clear gentle flame in here,

Dancing on my ceiling! O light of love and laughter!

Too soon put out to leave me dark and drear.

(iv)

I often think they’ve only gone out walking

And soon they’ll come homewards all laughing and talking.

The weather’s bright! Don’t look so pale.

They’ve only gone for a hike updale.

Oh, yes, they’ve only gone out walking,

Returning now, all laughing and talking.

Don’t look so pale! The weather’s bright.

They’ve only gone to climb up Beulah Height.

Ahead of us they’ve gone out walking

But shan’t be returning all laughing and talking.

We’ll catch up with them on Beulah Height

In bright sunlight.

The weather’s bright on Beulah Height.

(v)

In such foul weather, in such a gale,

I’d never have sent them to play up the dale!

They were dragged by force or fear.

Nought I said could keep them here.

In such foul weather, in sleet and hail,

I’d never have let them play out in the dale.

I was feart they’d take badly.

Now such fears I’d suffer gladly.

In such foul weather, in such a bale,

I’d never have let them play out in the dale

For fear they might die tomorrow.

That’s no more my source of sorrow.

In such foul weather, in such a bale,

I’d never have sent them to play up the dale.

They were dragged by force or fear.

Nought I said could keep them here.

In such foul weather, in such a gale,

In sleet and hail,

They rest as if in their mother’s house,

By no foul storm confounded,

By God’s own hands surrounded,

They rest as in their mother’s house.