This eBook was produced by David Widger  widgercecometnet                            POEMS OF NATURE                    POEMS SUBJECTIVE AND REMINISCENT                            RELIGIOUS POEMS                                   BY                        JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIERCONTENTSRELIGIOUS POEMS     THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM     THE CITIES OF THE PLAIN     THE CALL OF THE CHRISTIAN     THE CRUCIFIXION     PALESTINE     HYMNS FROM THE FRENCH OF LAMARTINE          I ENCORE UN HYMNE          II LE CRI DE LAME     THE FAMILISTS HYMN     EZEKIEL     WHAT THE VOICE SAID     THE ANGEL OF PATIENCE     THE WIFE OF MANOAH TO HER HUSBAND     MY SOUL AND I     WORSHIP     THE HOLY LAND     THE REWARD     THE WISH OF TODAY     ALLS WELL     INVOCATION     QUESTIONS OF LIFE     FIRSTDAY THOUGHTS     TRUST     TRINITAS     THE SISTERS     THE ROCK IN EL GHOR     THE OVERHEART     THE SHADOW AND THE LIGHT     THE CRY OF A LOST SOUL     ANDREW RYKMANS PRAYER                             RELIGIOUS POEMSTHE STAR OF BETHLEHEMWhere Time the measure of his hoursBy changeful bud and blossom keepsAnd like a young bride crowned with flowersFair Shiraz in her garden sleepsWhere to her poets turban stoneThe Spring her gift of flowers impartsLess sweet than those his thoughts have sownIn the warm soil of Persian heartsThere sat the stranger where the shadeOf scattered datetrees thinly layWhile in the hot clear heaven delayedThe long and still and weary dayStrange trees and fruits above him hungStrange odors filled the sultry airStrange birds upon the branches swungStrange insect voices murmured thereAnd strange bright blossoms shone aroundTurned sunward from the shadowy bowersAs if the Ghebers soul had foundA fitting home in Irans flowersWhateer he saw whateer he heardAwakened feelings new and sadNo Christian garb nor Christian wordNor church with Sabbathbell chimes gladBut Moslem graves with turban stonesAnd mosquespires gleaming white in viewAnd graybeard Mollahs in low tonesChanting their Koran service throughThe flowers which smiled on either handLike tempting fiends were such as theyWhich once oer all that Eastern landAs gifts on demon altars layAs if the burning eye of BaalThe servant of his Conqueror knewFrom skies which knew no cloudy veilThe Suns hot glances smote him throughAh me the lonely stranger saidThe hope which led my footsteps onAnd light from heaven around them shedOer weary wave and waste is goneWhere are the harvest fields all whiteFor Truth to thrust her sickle inWhere flock the souls like doves in flightFrom the dark hidingplace of sinA silenthorror broods oer allThe burden of a hateful spellThe very flowers around recallThe hoary magis rites of hellAnd what am I oer such a landThe banner of the Cross to bearDear Lord uphold me with Thy handThy strength with human weakness shareHe ceased for at his very feetIn mild rebuke a floweret smiledHow thrilled his sinking heart to greetThe Starflower of the Virgins childSown by some wandering Frank it drewIts life from alien air and earthAnd told to Paynim sun and dewThe story of the Saviours birthFrom scorching beams in kindly moodThe Persian plants its beauty screenedAnd on its pagan sisterhoodIn love the Christian floweret leanedWith tears of joy the wanderer feltThe darkness of his long despairBefore that hallowed symbol meltWhich Gods dear love had nurtured thereFrom Natures face that simple flowerThe lines of sin and sadness sweptAnd Magian pile and Paynim bowerIn peace like that of Eden sleptEach Moslem tomb and cypress oldLooked holy through the sunset airAnd angellike the Muezzin toldFrom tower and mosque the hour of prayerWith cheerful steps the morrows dawnFrom Shiraz saw the stranger partThe Starflower of the VirginBornStill blooming in his hopeful heart1830THE CITIES OF THE PLAINGet ye up from the wrath of Gods terrible dayUngirded unsandalled arise and awayT is the vintage of blood t is the fulness of timeAnd vengeance shall gather the harvest of crimeThe warning was spokenthe righteous had goneAnd the proud ones of Sodom were feasting aloneAll gay was the banquetthe revel was longWith the pouring of wine and the breathing of songT was an evening of beauty the air was perfumeThe earth was all greenness the trees were all bloomAnd softly the delicate viol was heardLike the murmur of love or the notes of a birdAnd beautiful maidens moved down in the danceWith the magic of motion and sunshine of glanceAnd white arms wreathed lightly and tresses fell freeAs the plumage of birds in some tropical treeWhere the shrines of foul idols were lighted on highAnd wantonness tempted the lust of the eyeMidst rites of obsceneness strange loathsome abhorredThe blasphemer scoffed at the