H .
O. Meredith .
When
the
deep
vault of heaven
opened
far
Reaches
of
space
from
star to
star ,
And
I had
flung my
sight
Beyond
all
barrier
of
the azure
haze
,
The
garment
of
the
days
,
Which
the
sun
weaves
of
shattered
light and air
The
sun
deceives
,
Darkness
alone all
secrets
doth
declare
.
Not
when
the heart
is
glad
and
swells with
loud
Paean
of
youth
,
Or triumph
of
maturer
years
,
Can
it
draw
near
to
knowledge
.
Tears
And
sorrow
,
sorrow
,
are
the soul
of
truth
.
Not
because
all
is
sadness
Inevitably
:
the
joys that
do
obscure
Are
no
less
real
Than
sorrows which
reveal
;
But
joy
the
spendthrift
reckons not
in
pence
The things that make his
gladness
,
But
grief
a
strict accountant will
commence
To
tell base
coin
from
the pure
.
Has any man
a
friend
Crowned
with
delight and
full prosperity
,
Who walk
together
seeming
whole
And
interweave
caressing
arms
?
Let these
not boast
communion
of
soul
Till
fate
her message
send
Ultimate
doom
,
or
terrible
alarms
,
And
set
them
naked
each
in
the
other
's
eye
,
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