The Crowing of the Queen.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume VII, Issue 3, 1 December 1902, Page 192

The Crowing of the Queen.

With star-dust round her foatniug I sailed a spirit barque Last night through seas of gloaming And oceans of the dark, To where, all distance ended, Lost Time hath sleep at last, And high and bright and splendid A Glory crowns the Vast. There, there the lust of living Enslaves no more the br,eath, There flow the streams life-giving Beyond the wells of Death. With many once Earth-mortals, The farthest star above, I knelt down at the portals Of God's great house of Love. I heard sweet voices singing A grand sonorous hymn, The song of victors bringing Souls to the seraphim. Ere with a sound of thunder By some strong spirit rolled, Wide and more wide asunder Opened the Gates of Gold. Dazzled and dumb and humbled I oaw the Land Divine, Heard organ chords that rumbled From some angelic shrine, And, as 1 paused and listened, Fair fields of Asphodel Beside a sea that glistened Waved with its crystil swell. The day that hath no morrow Flowered like a rose at noon, Yet had no need to borrow Light from the sun or moon.

For light that, never dies on The mountains of the West Steeped all the far horizou — Garbed all in gold the West. There fountain spoke to fountain And river answered rill From diamond-lighted mountain And opal-hearted hill. There cedar groves were waving Like airs breathed through a dream, There, with cool waters laving Each meadow, flowed a stream. And there, with bowers entwining Starred flowers and scented spray.-, I saw the gods designing The worlds of other days. And by a river flowing In waves of liquid Light The Tree of Life was growing With leaves all lily white. And there, high and commanding By rose-lights sweetly kissed, (rod's temple I saw standing All domed with amythest. A thousand bells were tolling. As only joy-bells toll, While vision stood unrolling The city of the soul. Where to a sound of singing A million flame-like wings Fanned a great censer swinging Above the Kiug of Kings. Here to the music pealing 'Neath cloudy incense rare In quiet I saw kneeling A woman- form most fair.

Among the angels never Was one more fair than she, And " Forever and Forever " Was her love-litany. " And who," one asked, " hath lightened The heaven with her eyes ? Or who with gold head brightened The glow of paradise ? " Then through the music drowning In a rich sea of sound — " Lo, she hath come for crowning," One said, "and shall be crowned."

And she who ne'er did falter When Love called lover sweet, Rose up before the altar There at the Master's feet, And all the souls assembled Shunted their triumph-cries, And all the mountains trembled For joy in paradise. And dews in scented showers Fell down upon her there, Making them diamond flowers Within her golden hair.

And in such fair adorning In joy she went her way, And I awake to morning — The morn of Christmas Day. I). M. Eoss.

Vol. VII.— No. 3.— 13.