Poems (Kimball)/God's Silence

by Harriet McEwen Kimball

GOD'S SILENCE.

GOD'S Silence! Holiest speech that is
Is but a dew-fall out of this;
And human Love's own tongues of bliss
But broken language caught from His.

Why should we question, though our cry—
"Lord, hear me—answer, or I die!"—
Seems echoed from an empty sky?
He hears—He answers, utterly.

"Lord, answer!" And with shuddering breath,
As those already doomed to death,
We wait for Him who rescueth
The very bird that perisheth.

O sword of doubt, two-edged with pain,
That cuts the quivering heart in twain!
As if His Love could ever wane!
As if our cry could be in vain!

His Silence! once, indeed, it broke
With Love's great stress, when He did take
A mortal guise for Loves sweet sake,
And spake as never mortal spake.

Since He his own Divine did blend
With Human in that Saviour-Friend,
That we enough might comprehend
His Love to trust Him to the end;

And guided by His perfect care,
Find all dark places everywhere
Wind upward, a celestial stair
To Love's own heights divinely fair;

He must forever bless; and aye,
At the dear break of Heaven's sweet day,
Wipe all earth's bitter tears away,
And give us more than heart can pray!

Oh, should He speak, and could we guess
That Tongue of Infinite Tenderness,
His Silence still would more express
His Love's unspeakable excess!