The Seraph and Poet

The seraph sings before the manifest

God-one, and in the burning of the Seven,

And with the full life of consummate Heaven

Heaving beneath him like a mother's breast

Warm with her first-born's slumber in that nest:

The poet sings upon the earth grave-riven;

Before the naughty world soon self-forgiven

For wronging him; and in the darkness prest

From his own soul by worldly weights. Even so,

Sing, seraph with the glory! Heaven is high—

Sing, poet with the sorrow! Earth is low!

The universe's inward voices cry

"Amen" to either song of joy and woe—

Sing seraph,—poet,—sing on equally.