Poems (Baldwyn)/The Creation
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THE CREATION.
Silence and darkness through the æriel space
Reign'd in their grandeur. No moon or stars,
With beam inspiring hope of brighter hours,
Mov'd through the clouds; but through the awful gloom,
Above the waters of immensity,
God mov'd; and from his presence, at his word,
The curtains of deep darkness from the deep
Were lifted. The light, the light of heaven,
Brought from the temple of eternal glory,
Shone o'er the wide expanse; the darkness fled,
But to resume its place when God should bid
Its sable veil to fall. He call'd it night.
Then the wide arch of heav'n, the sky serene,
Was rais'd, a firmament; the great waters slept,
And the broad sky look'd down upon their breast;
Then morning came, again to light the scene,
And the dark waters at the Lord's command
Roll'd back,—and from their bosom earth appear'd.
The gather'd waters God beheld, and, lo!
The new-born earth, with them, pronounced "good."
Then grass and herbs and trees, a gorgeous robe,
Deck'd the broad sterile soil, fresh, fair, and green;
And evening slowly wrapp'd the glowing scene,
And night reign'd on the waters.
Reign'd in their grandeur. No moon or stars,
With beam inspiring hope of brighter hours,
Mov'd through the clouds; but through the awful gloom,
Above the waters of immensity,
God mov'd; and from his presence, at his word,
The curtains of deep darkness from the deep
Were lifted. The light, the light of heaven,
Brought from the temple of eternal glory,
Shone o'er the wide expanse; the darkness fled,
But to resume its place when God should bid
Its sable veil to fall. He call'd it night.
Then the wide arch of heav'n, the sky serene,
Was rais'd, a firmament; the great waters slept,
And the broad sky look'd down upon their breast;
Then morning came, again to light the scene,
And the dark waters at the Lord's command
Roll'd back,—and from their bosom earth appear'd.
The gather'd waters God beheld, and, lo!
The new-born earth, with them, pronounced "good."
Then grass and herbs and trees, a gorgeous robe,
Deck'd the broad sterile soil, fresh, fair, and green;
And evening slowly wrapp'd the glowing scene,
And night reign'd on the waters.
"Let there be,"
The voice of God proclaim'd, "lights in the firmament,
That in the heavens they may mark the years,
And give to earth their radiance. Two shall reign:
The sun, the orb of day; the gentler light
To gleam a softness o'er the shades of night."
And through the vast expanse the stars appear'd.
The first sun sat: the moon with smiling beams
Lit the vast solitude of earth and heaven.
The glorious morning rose; and God, who made
All things so beautiful, now call'd forth life,
That joy might reign through the great wide world,
And all that breath'd the breath of life might praise him.
Then joyous life arose upon the seas,
And gentle songs of birds, ere man was made,
Woke music's echo. Nature sang for joy!
But not for these had the Creator made
The lovely earth, the glowing lights of heaven!
No! rob'd in innocence, and nobly form'd
In his Creator's image, man appear'd;
And all to him was giv'n,—a rich inheritance!
Fair was his home in Eden; sweet the joy
Of love that beam'd upon him; while above
God's favor rested: joy was heard in heaven.
The morning stars look'd down and sang together;
View'd all the glories of commencing time,
And joyous shone, as, in their heavenly sphere,
They rush'd upon their glorious course:
They there shall shine until th' eternal sun,
The Sun of Righteousness, dispels their beams,
And never fade till time shall be no more.
The voice of God proclaim'd, "lights in the firmament,
That in the heavens they may mark the years,
And give to earth their radiance. Two shall reign:
The sun, the orb of day; the gentler light
To gleam a softness o'er the shades of night."
And through the vast expanse the stars appear'd.
The first sun sat: the moon with smiling beams
Lit the vast solitude of earth and heaven.
The glorious morning rose; and God, who made
All things so beautiful, now call'd forth life,
That joy might reign through the great wide world,
And all that breath'd the breath of life might praise him.
Then joyous life arose upon the seas,
And gentle songs of birds, ere man was made,
Woke music's echo. Nature sang for joy!
But not for these had the Creator made
The lovely earth, the glowing lights of heaven!
No! rob'd in innocence, and nobly form'd
In his Creator's image, man appear'd;
And all to him was giv'n,—a rich inheritance!
Fair was his home in Eden; sweet the joy
Of love that beam'd upon him; while above
God's favor rested: joy was heard in heaven.
The morning stars look'd down and sang together;
View'd all the glories of commencing time,
And joyous shone, as, in their heavenly sphere,
They rush'd upon their glorious course:
They there shall shine until th' eternal sun,
The Sun of Righteousness, dispels their beams,
And never fade till time shall be no more.