I Know What Beauty Is

I know what beauty is, for thou             Hast set the world within my heart;             Of me thou madest it a part;         I never loved it more than now.         I know the Sabbath afternoons;             The light asleep upon the graves:             Against the sky the poplar waves;         The river murmurs organ tunes.         I know the spring with bud and bell;             The hush in summer woods at night;             Autumn, when trees let in more light;         Fantastic winter's lovely spell.         I know the rapture music gives,             Its mystery of ordered tones:             Dream-muffled soul, it loves and moans,         And, half-alive, comes in and lives.         And verse I know, whose concord high             Of thought and music lifts the soul             Where many a glimmering starry shoal         Glides through the Godhead's living sky.         Yea, Beauty's regnant All I know--             The imperial head, the thoughtful eyes;             The God-imprisoned harmonies         That out in gracious motions go.         But I leave all, O Son of man,             Put off my shoes, and come to thee!             Most lovely thou of all I see,         Most potent thou of all that can!         As child forsakes his favourite toy,             His sisters' sport, his new-found nest,             And, climbing to his mother's breast,         Enjoys yet more his late-left joy--         I lose to find. On fair-browed bride             Fair pearls their fairest light afford;             So, gathered round thy glory, Lord,         All glory else is glorified.