Father Ryan's Poems (17)

    Into a temple vast and dim, Solemn and vast and dim, Just when the last sweet Vesper Hymn¹ Was floating far away, With eyes that tabernacled tears —— Her heart the home of tears —— And cheeks wan² with the woes⁴ of years, A woman went one day.

    And, one by one, adown the aisles⁶, Adown the long, lone⁷ aisles, Their faces bright with holy smiles That follow after prayer, The worshipers in silence passed, In silence slowly passed away； The woman knelt until the last Had left her lonely there.

    A holy hush⁸ came o'er the place, O'er the holy place, The shadows kissed her woe³-worn face, Her forehead touched the floor； The wreck⁹ that drifted thro' the years —— Sin-driven thro' the years —— Was floating o'er the tide of tears, To Mercy's golden shore.

    Her lips were sealed, they could not pray, They sighed, but could not pray, All words of prayer had died away From them long years ago； But ah！ from out her eyes there rose —— Sad from her eyes there rose —— The prayer of tears, which swiftest goes To Heaven —— winged with woe.

    With weary tears, her weary eyes, Her joyless, weary eyes, Wailed¹⁰ forth¹¹ a rosary； and her sighs And sobs¹² strung all the beads¹³； The while before her spirit's gaze —— Her contrite¹⁴ spirit's gaze —— Moved all the mysteries of her days, And histories of her deeds.

    Still as a shadow, while she wept, So desolately¹⁵ wept, Up thro' the long, lone aisle⁵ she crept Unto an altar fair； "Mother！" —— her pale lips said no more —— Could say no more —— The wreck, at last, reached Mercy's shore, For Mary's shrine was there