To the Children of Mary of the Cathedral of Mobile
In the mystical dim of the temple, In the dream-haunted dim of the day, The sunlight spoke1 soft to the shadows, And said： "With my gold and your gray, Let us meet at the shrine2 of the Virgin3, And ere her fair feast pass away, Let us weave there a mantle4 of glory, To deck the last evening of May."
The tapers5 were lit on the altar, With garlands of lilies between； And the steps leading up to the statue Flashed bright with the roses' red sheen； The sun-gleams came down from the heavens Like angels, to hallow the scene, And they seemed to kneel down with the shadows That crept to the shrine of the Queen.
The singers, their hearts in their voices, Had chanted the anthems6 of old, And the last trembling wave of the Vespers On the far shores of silence had rolled. And there —— at the Queen-Virgin's altar —— The sun wove the mantle of gold While the hands of the twilight7 were weaving A fringe for the flash of each fold.
And wavelessly, in the deep silence, Three banners hung peaceful and low —— They bore the bright blue of the heavens, They wore the pure white of the snow And beneath them fair children were kneeling, Whose faces, with graces aglow8, Seemed sinless, in land that is sinful, And woeless, in life full of woe9.
Their heads wore the veil of the lily, Their brows wore the wreath of the rose, And their hearts like their flutterless banners, Were stilled in a holy repose10. Their shadowless eyes were uplifted, Whose glad gaze would never disclose That from eyes that are most like the heavens The dark rain of tears soonest flows.
The banners were borne to the railing, Beneath them, a group from each band； And they bent11 their bright folds for the blessing12 That fell from the priest's lifted hand. And he signed the three fair, silken standards, With a sign never foe13 could withstand. What stirred them？ The breeze of the evening？ Or a breath from the far angel-land？
Then came, two by two, to the altar, The young, and the pure, and the fair, Their faces the mirror of Heaven, Their hands folded meekly14 in prayer； They came for a simple blue ribbon, For love of Christ's Mother to wear； And I believe, with the Children of Mary, The Angels of Mary were there.
Ah, faith！ simple faith of the children！ You still shame the faith of the old！ Ah, love！ simple love of the little, You still warm the love of the cold！ And the beautiful God who is wandering Far out in the world's dreary15 wold, Finds a home in the hearts of the children And a rest with the lambs of the fold.
Swept a voice： was it wafted16 from Heaven？ Heard you ever the sea when it sings Where it sleeps on the shore in the night time？ Heard you ever the hymns17 the breeze brings From the hearts of a thousand bright summers？ Heard you ever the bird, when she springs To the clouds, till she seems to be only A song of a shadow on wings？
Came a voice： and an "Ave Maria" Rose out of a heart rapture-thrilled； And in the embrace of its music The souls of a thousand lay stilled. A voice with the tones of an angel, Never flower such a sweetness distilled18； It faded away —— but the temple With its perfume of worship was filled.
Then back to the Queen-Virgin's altar The white veils swept on, two by two； And the holiest halo of heaven Flashed out from the ribbons of blue； And they laid down the wreaths of the roses Whose hearts were as pure as their hue19； Ah！ they to the Christ are the truest, Whose loves to the Mother are true！
And thus, in the dim of the temple, In the dream-haunted dim of the day, The Angels and Children of Mary Met ere their Queen's Feast passed away, Where the sun-gleams knelt down with the shadows And wove with their gold and their gray A mantle of grace and of glory For the last lovely evening of May. S. M. A. Gone！ and there's not a gleam of you, Faces that float into far away； Gone！ and we can only dream of you Each as you fade like a star away. Fade as a star in the sky from us, Vainly we look for your light again； Hear ye the sound of a sigh from us？ "Come！" and our hearts will be bright again.
Come！ and gaze on our face once more, Bring us the smiles of the olden days； Come！ and shine in your place once more, And change the dark into golden days. Gone！ gone！ gone！ Joy is fled for us； Gone into the night of the nevermore, And darkness rests where you shed for us A light we will miss ~forevermore~.
Faces！ ye come in the night to us； Shadows！ ye float in the sky of sleep； Shadows！ ye bring nothing bright to us； Faces！ ye are but the sigh of sleep. Gone！ and there's not a gleam of you, Faces that float into the far away； Gone！ and we only can dream of you Till we sink like you and the stars away.
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