Page:The Poems and Prose remains of Arthur Hugh Clough, volume 2 (1869).djvu/102



whose image in the shrine Of human spirits dwells divine; Which from that precinct once conveyed, To be to outer day displayed, Doth vanish, part, and leave behind Mere blank and void of empty mind, Which wilful fancy seeks in vain With casual shapes to fill again! O Thou that in our bosom's shrine Dost dwell, unknown because divine! I thought to speak, I thought to say, 'The light is here,' 'behold the way,' 'The voice was thus,' and 'thus the word,' And 'thus I saw,' and 'that I heard,'— But from the lips that half essayed The imperfect utterance fell unmade.

O Thou, in that mysterious shrine Enthroned, as I must say, divine! I will not frame one thought of what Thou mayest either be or not. I will not prate of 'thus' and 'so,' And be profane with 'yes' and 'no,' Enough that in our soul and heart Thou, whatso'er Thou may'st be, art.

Unseen, secure in that high shrine Acknowledged present and divine, I will not ask some upper air, Some future day to place Thee there;