Lo! this thou art. The only one
Who e'er hath borne thy special grace
Who with thy peers life's course doth run
With thine own blessing for thy race.
No bundle thou, of faults and flaws
Of limitations, fears, and woes;
But perfect, from a perfect cause
Thou perfect through creation rose.
Let habit fade, and wilful hate;
They are not thou, they are not thine;
Thou only canst express the great;
Thou livest only in the fine.
A noble God thus nobly planned
And what He wills is Truth's decree.
Thy birthright, good,—'twas His command.
Thy time is now, eternity.
Within thine eyes' unconscious glance
Is "light ne'er seen on land or sea,"
And with thy word thou canst enhance
The universal harmony.
No gentle dame, nor great grandsire
Gave these to thee,—yet these thou art;
For, from the source that doth inspire
Immortal life in every heart
To thee they came. Thou royal Child!
Not born of flesh, nor bred of bone.
"God's image" thou long since wast styled:
God knows that He and thou are one.
