(For S. M. E.)
I take my leave, with sorrow, of Him I love so well;
I look my last upon His small and radiant prison-cell;
O happy lamp! to serve Him with never ceasing light!
O happy flame! to tremble forever in His sight!
I leave the holy quiet for the loudly human train,
And my heart that He has breathed upon is filled with lonely pain.
O King, O Friend, O Lover! What sorer grief can be
In all the reddest depths of Hell than banishment from Thee?
But from my window as I speed across the sleeping land
I see the towns and villages wherein His houses stand.
Above the roofs I see a cross outlined against the night,
And I know that there my Lover dwells in His sacramental might.
Dominions kneel before Him, and Powers kiss His feet,
Yet for me He keeps His weary watch in the turmoil of the street:
The King of Kings awaits me, wherever I may go,
O who am I that He should deign to love and serve me so?
(Joyce Kilmer)
More Poetry from Joyce Kilmer:
Joyce Kilmer Poems based on Topics: Kings & Queens, Night, Pain, Love, Light, Hell, Sadness, Sense & Perception, Friendship, Sleeping, Grief- To Certain Poets (Joyce Kilmer Poem)
- St. Laurence (Joyce Kilmer Poem)
- Poets (Joyce Kilmer Poem)
- Delicatessen (Joyce Kilmer Poem)
- The Fourth Shepherd (Joyce Kilmer Poem)
- Folly (Joyce Kilmer Poem)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Night Poems, Light Poems, Sadness Poems, Sense & Perception Poems, Friendship Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Pain Poems, Sleep Poems, Grief Poems, Hell PoemsBased on Keywords: turmoil, awaits, deign, sorer, reddest, banishment, dominions, sacramental, outlined, prison-cell
- Paradise Regain'd : Book III. (John Milton Poems)
- The Believer's Espousals : Chapter II. (Ralph Erskine Poems)
- Der Freischutz (Madison Julius Cawein Poems)
- Notes On Vision (James Douglas Morrison Poems)
- Stanza's Concerning Some Persons And Things, That Are Mentioned In The Holy Scriptures (Rees Prichard Poems)