Sovereign, strong and sure, the real Realities shine!
Ay, Purity still is pure, Beauty is beautiful always,
Perfection is utterly perfect, and Love is loving for ever,
Never mind you and me! O, isn’t that something rooted,
Something that saves the world?
And praise to the way of Its working!
For that does mind you and me! Look at yon glory going
Out all over the landscape, in the sooty smoke of the City—
Curling up, silver and gold....how it lightens the very light!
And that is the way, I know it! with a soul that seeks for retrieval;
And sends its sacrifice-smoke up, abroad and away.
It catches the Light, that smoke! Humanity’s misty sunshine
It brightens with beautiful banners—Ay, Courage, and Aspiration,
Understanding, Compassion, these from the souls of sinners
Ascending, glorify Life, O merciful, sweet Perfecting,
Dear Magic, beyond our knowing, that works through large and through little,
Everywhere, everywhere! backward, as well as inward, and onward;
Making, of creatures, creators!—Look, son! As yon tiny prison
14
