Matthew Arnold
95
sun is risen on the earth. The present I despaired of held in it resurrection power. But thou—
though to the world's new hour
Thou come with aspect marr'd,
Shorn of the joy, the bloom; the power,
Which best befits its bard—
Thou come with aspect marr'd,
Shorn of the joy, the bloom; the power,
Which best befits its bard—
Though more than half thy years be past,
And spent thy youthful prime;
Though, round thy firmer manhood cast,
Hang weeds of our sad time
And spent thy youthful prime;
Though, round thy firmer manhood cast,
Hang weeds of our sad time
Whereof thy youth felt all the spell,
And traversed all the shade—
Though late, though dimm'd, though weak, yet tell
Hope to a world new made!
And traversed all the shade—
Though late, though dimm'd, though weak, yet tell
Hope to a world new made!
Help it to fill that deep desire,
The want that rack'd our brain,
Consumed our soul with thirst like fire,
Immedicable pain;
The want that rack'd our brain,
Consumed our soul with thirst like fire,
Immedicable pain;
Which to the wilderness drove out
Our life, to Alpine snow,
And palsied all our word with doubt,
And all our work with woe—
Our life, to Alpine snow,
And palsied all our word with doubt,
And all our work with woe—
What still of strength is left, employ
This end to help attain:
One common wave of thought and joy
Lifting mankind again.
This end to help attain:
One common wave of thought and joy
Lifting mankind again.
The vision ended, I awoke
As out of sleep, and no
Voice moved;—only the torrent broke
The silence, far below.
·······
And glorious there, without a sound,
Across the glimmering lake,
High in the Valais-depth profound,
I saw the morning break."
As out of sleep, and no
Voice moved;—only the torrent broke
The silence, far below.
·······
And glorious there, without a sound,
Across the glimmering lake,
High in the Valais-depth profound,
I saw the morning break."
