The Candle

Time like a cloud     Has risen from the East     And whelmed the sky over     Even to the wide-arched West,     Darkening the blue,     Embrowning the early gold,     Until no more the eternal Sun     Looks simply through.     In each man's eyes     The cloud is set,     With but the chill light     Of silver January skies.     On each man's heart     Time's firm shadow falls,     And the mind throws but a candle's beam     On the dark walls.     But on those walls     Man paints his dream     Rejoicing purely     In the faithful candle's beam:     Lives by its beauty,     Pictures his heart's delight,     And with that only beam outbraves     Time's gathering night.     O spiritual flame,     Calm, faithful, bright!     Time may whelm over     All but this candle's light:     Shadow but shadow is;     Dark though it lies     'Tis blazon'd with man's long-dreamed dreams,     Pierced by his eyes.