Set a watch about the sepulchre
  To watch on pain of death;
They must hold fast the stone if One should stir
  And shake it from beneath.

God Almighty, He can break a seal
  And roll away a Stone,
Can grind the proud in dust who would not kneel,
  And crush the mighty one. 20

* * * * * * *

There is nothing more that they can do
  For all their passionate care,
Those who sit in dust, the blessed few,
  And weep and rend their hair: 

Peter, Thomas, Mary Magdalene,
  The Virgin unreproved,
Joseph, with Nicodemus, foremost men,
  And John the Well-beloved,

Bring your finest linen and your spice,
  Swathe the sacred Dead, 30
Bind with careful hands and piteous eyes
  The napkin round His head;

Lay Him in the garden-rock to rest;
  Rest you the Sabbath length: 
The Sun that went down crimson in the west
  Shall rise renewed in strength.

God Almighty shall give joy for pain,
  Shall comfort him who grieves: 
Lo!  He with joy shall doubtless come again,
  And with Him bring His sheaves. 40

PARADISE:  IN A DREAM

(Lyra Messianica, second edition, 1865.)

Once in a dream I saw the flowers
  That bud and bloom in Paradise;
  More fair they are than waking eyes
Have seen in all this world of ours. 
And faint the perfume-bearing rose,
  And faint the lily on its stem,
And faint the perfect violet
      Compared with them.

I heard the songs of Paradise: 
  Each bird sat singing in his place; 10
  A tender song so full of grace
It soared like incense to the skies. 
Each bird sat singing to his mate
  Soft cooing notes among the trees: 
The nightingale herself were cold
      To such as these.

I saw the fourfold River flow,
  And deep it was, with golden sand;
  It flowed between a mossy land
With murmured music grave and low. 20
It hath refreshment for all thirst,
  For fainting spirits strength and rest: 
Earth holds not such a draught as this
      From east to west.

The Tree of Life stood budding there,
  Abundant with its twelvefold fruits;
  Eternal sap sustains its roots,
Its shadowing branches fill the air. 
Its leaves are healing for the world,
  Its fruit the hungry world can feed, 30
Sweeter than honey to the taste
      And balm indeed.

I saw the gate called Beautiful;
  And looked, but scarce could look, within;
  I saw the golden streets begin,
And outskirts of the glassy pool. 
Oh harps, oh crowns of plenteous stars,
  Oh green palm-branches many-leaved—­
Eye hath not seen, nor ear hath heard,
      Nor heart conceived. 40