Page:The poems of George Eliot (Crowell, 1884).djvu/475

 Rh Stayed. But behold! upon the death-dewed lips

A kiss descended, pure, unspeakable—

The bodiless Love without embracing Love

That lingered in the body, drew it forth

With heavenly strength and carried it to heaven.

But now beneath the sky the watchers all,

Angels that keep the homes of Israel

Or on high purpose wander o'er the world

Leading the Gentiles, felt a dark eclipse:

The greatest ruler among men was gone.

And from the westward sea was heard a wail,

A dirge as from the isles of Javanim,

Crying, "Who now is left upon the earth

Like him to teach the right and smite the wrong ?"

And from the East, far o'er the Syrian waste,

Came slowlier, sadlier, the answering dirge:

"No prophet like him lives or shall arise

In Israel or the world forevermore."

But Israel waited, looking toward the mount.

Till with the deepening eve the elders came

Saying, "His burial is hid with God.

We stood far off and saw the angels lift

His corpse aloft until they seemed a star

That burnt itself away within the sky."

The people answered with mute orphaned gaze

Looking for what had vanished evermore.

Then through the gloom without them and within

The spirit's shaping light, mysterious speech,

Invisible Will wrought clear in sculptured sound,

The thought-begotten daughter of the voice,

Thrilled on their listening sense : "He has no tomb.

He dwells not with you dead, but lives as Law."