“Now this most fair and flawless rout,
Thronging thousands, as thou dost tell,
They must possess, beyond a doubt,
A sightly city wherein to dwell. 
’T were strange that they should live without;
For so bright a band it were not well;
Yet I see no building hereabout. 
Dost thou linger as in a woodland cell,
Alone and hidden, for the spell
Of rushing stream and shining shaw? 
If thou hast a dwelling beyond this dell,
Now show me that city free from flaw.”

“Not flawless the city in Juda’s land,”
That gentle one gently to me spake,
“But the Lamb did bless it when He planned
To suffer there sorely for man’s sake. 
That is the old city we understand,
And there the bonds of old guilt did break;
But the new, alighted from God’s hand,
The Apostle John for his theme did take. 
The Lamb Who is white with never a flake
Of black, did thither His fair folk draw;
For His flock no fenced fold need He make,
Nor moat for His city free from flaw.”

“To figure flawlessly what may mean
Jerusalems twain:  the first of those
Was ‘the Sight of Peace’ as it is seen
In the word of God, for the gospel shows
How there our peace made sure hath been,
Since to suffer therein the Saviour chose;
In the other is always peace to glean,
Peace that never an ending knows. 
To that city bright the spirit goes
When the flesh hath fallen beneath death’s law;
There glorious gladness forever grows
For His fair folk that are free from flaw.”

“Flawless maid so mild and meek,”
Then said I to that lovely flower: 
“Let me that stately city seek,
And let me see thy blissful bower.” 
That bright one said, “Thou art too weak,
Thou may’st not enter to its tower;
Yet of the Lamb I did bespeak
This goodly gift, that He would dower
Thine eyes with the sight for one short hour,—­
From without,—­within none ever saw;
To step in that street thou hast no power,
Unless thy soul were free from flaw.”

XVII

“This flawless sight I will not hide;
Up toward the brook’s head thou must go,
While I will follow on this side,
Till yonder hill the city show.” 
And then I would no longer bide,
But stole through branches, bending low,
Till from the summit I espied,
Through green boughs swaying to and fro,
Afar, the city, all aglow,
That brighter than bright sunbeams shone. 
In writing it is pictured so,
In the Revelation of St. John.

As John the Apostle saw the sight,
I saw that city, standing near
Jerusalem, so royal dight,
As if from Heaven alighted here. 
The city all of gold burned bright,
Like gleaming glass that glistens clear. 
With precious stones beneath set right: 
Foundations twelve of gems most dear,
Wrought wondrous richly, tier on tier. 
Each base was of a separate stone
As, perfectly, it doth appear
In the Revelation of St. John.