Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE BIRDS OF BETHLEHEM. I Heard the bells of Bethlehem ring— Their voice was sweeter than the priests'; I heard the birds of Bethlehem sing Unbidden in the churchly feasts. They clung and sung on the swinging chain High in the dim and incensed air; The priests, with repetitions vain, Chanted a never-ending prayer. 20 THE BIRDS OF BETHLEHEM. So bell and bird and priest I heard, But voice of bird was most to me; It had no ritual, no word, And yet it sounded true and free. I thought Child Jesus, were he there, Would like the singing birds the best, And clutch his little hands in air And smile upon his mother's breast. Bethlehem, Holy Week, 1896. No£l. Star-dust and vaporous light,— The mist of worlds unborn,— A shuddering in the awful night Of winds that bring the morn. Now comes the dawn: the circling earth; Creatures that fly and crawl; And Man, that last, imperial birth; And Christ, the flower of all. "THE SUPPER AT EMMAUS." (A PICTURE BY REMBRANDT.) Wise Rembrandt! thou couldst paint, and thou alone, Eyes that had seen what never human eyes Before had looked on; him that late had passed Onward and back through gates of Death and Life. O human face where the celestial gleam Lingers! Oh, still to thee the eyes of men Turn with deep, questioning worship; seeing there, As in a mirror, the Eternal Light Caught from the shining of the central Soul Whence came all worlds, and whither shall return. THE DOUBTER. Thou Christ, my soul is hurt and bruised! With words the scholars wear me out; My brain o'erwearied and confused,— Thee, and myself, and all I doubt. And must I back to darkness go Because I cannot say their creed ? I know not what I think; I know Only that thou art what I need. THE PART... --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.