J. S. Machar
Behold that heaven where Thou
Didst deem He reigns in all of His glory!
Cloudless, serene, it smiles quietly on
With its insensible blue smile. As 'twas
Before, so 'twill be after Thee. So too
The fowls flying the air and every beast
Inhabiting the earth has lived and lives
According to one law, that is my law.
The strong forever shall absorb the weak.
'Tis so with man. And this whole wide, wide world
Is my kingdom. Because I am the Life.
I rule. I sit enthroned in hearts, in souls.
No one shall ever banish me, nor Thou,
Nor Thy Father. Thy kingdom of God is
A dream. That dream I leave to man for e'er!
Behold, how calmly Rome's centurion
Speaks with the scribe in white beneath Thy cross!
'Twill ever be thus. They are now heirs of
Thy words, Thy dreams. One shall change his idols,
The other his Jehovah for Thy name,
And on the world shall live as I ordain.
Why didst Thou not then take all those kingdoms
And this world's glory from my gen'rous hand?
Thy youthful life would not have thus been spent
In shameful torture. Happily couldst Thou
Have lived and brought millions Thy happiness.
But what bring’st Thou? Dath and discord Thou spreadst.
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