The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-10-10
ODE 90 the AInllghty.


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ode 10 the Almighty.
The following sublime poem was
written 10y Gabriel iemanayitch Derz-
haven, the greatest lyric poet Rossia
has yet produced. The author was
born at Kazan, Russia, in l7l3, and
Died at Novgrod, in 1916. He served
some time in the army, and was eleva-
ted to various important offices in the
State, filing the Office oSMinister of
Justice in 1902, The correspondent of
the Newcastle Weekly Chvonicie, in
sending the poem to that paper, says
O. send you the poem by the Rus
sian poet Derzhaven, translated by
Sir John Bowring, asked for by your
correspondent Jorj. 1t is stated in II
note appended to the copy in my pos
session that it has been translated ill.,
to Japanese, and hung up, embroder-
cd with gold, in the temple Of Jeddo,
and into the Chinese and Tartar Ian
guuges, written on rich silk, and sus-
pended on the Imperial Palace of Pc
kin. 1t Is one of the hoblest poems
ever read, though long. 1t is poem
it would be well to learn by heart, as it
would serve as an antidote to narrow
and unworthy conceptions OF the Gre
ator. Its sublime grandeur and beau
ty would elevate and refine, and could
never fail to inspire into those who
know it profound sense of the over
whelming majesty of God and of His
relation to man. Where can we find
Words to equal these
What am then? Nought!
Nought--but the etlluence of Thy light Ill
vine,
Perynding worlds, hath reached my bo-
Yes, in my spirit doth Thy spirit shine
As shines the unbeam IN II drep OF dew.
How perfect here is the use of the
smile. BY its means the poet, in n
single sentence, seems to reveal the
whole mystery of the human SOUL.
o Thou Eternal One! whose presence bright
All space doth occupy, all motion guide
Unchanged through Times all-dcvastnting
Thou only God, there IS no God beside!
Being above ali beings, mighty one,
Whom none can comprehend, aud none
explore,
Who INST existence with Thysef alone,
Embracing ull--suppOgtin DER!
Being whom We call God-and know no
more
In its sublime research, Philosophy
May measure Out Tie ocean deep-may
count
The sands or suns rays, but God, for thee
There is no weight nor measure. None can
mount
Up TO the mysteries Reasons brightest
spark,
Though kinded by the light, in VAN
would try
TO trace my counsels, infinite and dark,
And thought is lost, ere thought can soar
so high,
Even like past moments in eternity.
Thou from primeval nothingness did st call
First chaos, tuen existence; Lord, ON thee
Eternity had its foundatlon-all
Sprung forth from thee-of light, JOY, har-
mony,
Sole ORIGINAL life, all beauty thine,
Thy word created all, and doth create
Thy splendor fills all space with rays divine
lhou art, and vert, and shalt be glorious
great!
Lfe-gi wing DEMONSTRATING PotentNte!
round,
Upheld by thee by thee inspired with
breath
Thou the beginning with the end has bound,
And beautifully mingled life and death
As sparks mount upward from The merry
blaze,
SO son Is are born, so worlds spring forth
from thee,
Ana as the spangles in the sunny rays
Shine round the silver snow, the pugeantry
Of Heavens bright army glitters IN thy
praise.
A million torches lighted by thy hand
Wander unwearied through the Dlue ABYSS,
They own thy power accomplish thy COM
maud,
Ali gay with life, all eloquent with bliss.
What shall we call thee Piles of crystal
light
a glorious company of golden streams
Lamps OF celestial ether burning bright
Suns lighting systems with their joyous
beams?
But thou to these art as the noon TO night.
Yes, n drop of water in the sea,
All this magnihoence ia Thee is lost
What are ten thousand worlds compared to
Thee?
And what am then? Heavens unnum-
Dered hosts,
ma sugh multiplied by myriads and arrayed
Ia all the glory of sublimest thought,
Is but an atom in the balance weighed
Against Thy greatness is u cypher brought
Against intlnlty What then am l? ought.
Nought-but the eflluence of Thy light di-
vine,
peryading words, hath reached my bosom,
Yes, in my spirit doth Thy spirit shine,
As shines the sunbeam In II drop of dew.
Naught but | live, and on hopes plhl0ns
fly
Eager toward Thy presence, for in Thee
| live, and breathe, and dwell, aspiring high,
Even to the throne OF Thy divinity
am, o God and surely Thou must be!
Thou art-directing, guiding all, thou art
Direct my understanding, then, To Thee,
Control my spirit, guide my wandering
heart,
Though but an atom midst immensely,
still l am something, fashioned by my
Ihold middle rank, 'twixt heaven and
earth
On the last verge of mortal being stand, i.
ose to the realms where angels haVeVheH
Just on the boundaries of the spirit land
The chain of being is complete In me,
In me Is m alters last graduation lost.
AND the next step Is spirit-peity
can command the lightning, ana am
dust;
a monarch and slave, worma god
Whence. came here, and how 80 mar
velously
Constructed and conceived unknown this
clod
Lives surely through some higher energy
For ftom itself alone 1t could not be
Creator? Yesl Thy wisdom and Thy word
m Treated ME. Thou source OF HE ana goou'
Thou spirit of my spirit, and my Lord
Thy light, Thy love, In their bright plenu-
tude
FILLED me with an immortal soul, to spring
o., over the abyss of death, ana babe II wear
The garments of eternal day, and wing
It's heavenly flight beyond this little
sphere
Even TO It's source-to Thee, Its Author,
there
thoughts inefablel o visions blessed
Though worthless all our conceptions all
n