Bahá’í World/Volume 4/Song-offerings

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The Bahá’í World Song Offerings

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[Page 517]

I Recognition

Hail to Thee, Scion of Glory, Whose utterance poureth abroad The joy of the heavenly knowledge and the light of the greatest of days! Poet of mysteries chanting in rapture the beauty of God, Unto Thee be thanksgiving and praise!

Child of the darkness that wandered in gloom but dreamed of the light, Lo! I have seen Thy splendour ablaze in the heavens afar Showering gladness and glory and shattering the shadows of night, And see no other star.

Thy words are to me as fragrances borne from the garden of heaven, Beams of a lamp that is hid in the height of a holier world, Arrows of fire that pierce and destroy with the might of the levin Into our darkness hurled.

Sword of the Father! none other can rend the dark veil from my eyes, None other can beat from my limbs with the shearing blade of God's might The sins I am fettered withal and give me the power to rise And come forth to the fulness of light.

Lo! Thou hast breathed on my sorrow the sweetness of faith and of hope, Thou hast chanted high pæans of joy that my heart's echoes ever repeat And the path to the knowledge of God begins to glimmer and ope Before my faltering feet.

Weak and unworthy my praise. Yet, as from its throbbing throat Some lone bird pours its song to the flaming infinite sky, So unto Thee in the zenith I lift from a depth remote This broken human cry.

-G. TOWNSHEND.

II THE BÁB

Thru which the rivers of God's love shall flow, Thou art the Gate By which a waiting world will know That glorious Orb Who rose o'er Persia's slowly yielding night. To flash a host of angels into flight.

O Gate of God, Ope wide Thy door And let the vista of Thy mystic lore Reveal the pre-existent plan To make of earth a paradise for man.

Take Thou our hearts and gently lead us in The chalice of supernal grace to win.

Lead us beyond our hopes; beyond our tears; To see that Beauty Whom Thy soul reveres.

O Gate of God!

-PHILIP AMALFI MARANGELLA.

III

I. O Light Divine! Invisible! Immeasurable Light! Eternal as Divinity! Impenetrably Bright! The living universe bows down And veils its face before Thee. All angels and archangels bend And happily adore Thee.

II. O Shining Spirit! Light of light! All-flooding, radiant beam, Eternally proceeding Forth from Him, the LORD Supreme; To all immensity of life, Himself Thou art revealing; With Thine intensity of light, Himself Thou art concealing.

III. He is the Essence, Thou the Power, The Glory, Majesty, The Omnipresence. He, Unknown And Nameless, save for Thee! Above all height and depth is He, In His own SELF abiding; Through Thee all depth and height He fills. Through Thee Creation guiding.

IV. As light from flame, Thou art from Him; As fragrance from the flower; As colors from the prism'd light; As rainbow from the shower; As thought from mind; or word from thought; As deed by vision guided. So He and Thou art only ONE. Not dual, nor divided.

V. O Splendor of the Spaceless! Thou, Through hosts of wandering suns, Dost quicken dense, material spheres. Where these dull-shining ones [Page 518] Are lords of matter, time, and space; Their powers from Thee obtaining, Obedient vassals of Thy will, Beneath Thy glory waning.

VI.

Thou art the flame of Life itself, The Ever-living Light, These burn with imitative fires Through matter’s stolid night; With semblance of creative heat; Worlds, moons and earthlings breeding; Yet, all, in traceless paths confined, Thine ordered ways are speeding.

VII.

The planets feel Thy quivering life And bring forth of their kind, All plants, and creeping things, and beasts, And men of dust—but blind To Thy Realities are they— In earthy dungeons dwelling, Imprisoned deep in sense and self, The Light Unseen repelling.

VIII.

O Life of Life! O Perfect Light! Pierce through the darkening walls; Bring forth the prisoners to Thy Day; Remove the veiling cauls; Create new sight, new hearts, new minds; Reveal the heavenly vision: Disperse the dust-formed clouds of self; Disclose the fields Elysian!

IX.

O Word of God! Light, Love and Life— Transmuted into speech! Thou mighty Logos—come from heaven, The Will Divine to teach! Incarnate Gift to happy men, Endowed with power perceiving, With speaking tongues and listening ears, With minds and hearts believing.

X.

Speak Thou to self-endarkened souls! Command, “Let there be Light!” So shall eternal Day appear To end chaotic night. The morning stars shall sing again The anthem of creation: The sons of God shall shout for joy With new divine elation.

XI.

Thy Word, O Light, is knowledge, truth! Thy University, The boundless shining realms of life, Which mirrors only Thee. This mind of mine’s a twinkling orb, Toward Thy clear sun advancing: A flickering mote of mental dust, In Thy great splendor dancing.

XII.

Thy flame is Love, the living Fire! Thine alchemy divine Transmutes man’s spirit into Life, The water into wine. Within thy crucible, O Love, With Thee this heart is blending; Its life outdrawn, to be reborn From death to Life unending.

XIII.

Thou Holy Light! So calmly pure So penetrating, sweet; The whole creation’s living heart Is melted in Thy heat. The souls of things turn unto Thee, Thy radiant Love divining, As dewdrops glisten in the dawn, Each one a sunlet shining.

XIV.

Thou crystal Ocean, limpid, clear, Unstained and colorless! All life is Thine, all beauty Thine, All beings Thee confess. As fish in sea, I live in Thee, All life but Thine denying. As gnat in flame, in Thee I die In ecstasy of dying.

XV.

Immortal Spirit! Loving Power! Thou dost my soul enthrall. I am in Thee, and Thou in me; Else were I not at all. For what I am, have been, shall be, Is Thine, not of my earning; A debtor I, with naught to pay, Except Thine own, returning.

XVI.

Thou Primal Parent! Lift Thy sons Into the heavens of Truth! Give them new birth in realms of Light, Grant them eternal youth, That they may serve Thy Universe With wisdom, strength, perfection; True stars and suns of Thy pure Light, Ablaze with Thy reflection.

XVII.

As iron, glowing in the fire, Shows glistening and more bright, So spirits, serving Thee in love, Are nuclei of light. Infilled with Thee, O Fire of Life, In Thee all self resigning; Through space empyreal they fly, Pure flames of glory shining.

XVIII.

Thou All in all! The worlds of worlds Are filled with naught but Thee. Both light and darkness, heaven and hell, Thou art, O Mystery! [Page 519]

XIX

Ah, Wondrous Light! Invisible, Immeasurable Light! Begotten of Divinity, Impenetrably bright! Heaven-filled, the Universe, aglow Unveils its face before Thee. All angels and archangels know, And happily adore Thee. -THORNTON CHASE.

IV BAHÁ’U’LLÁH

O! for a thousand tongues aflame, That I might speak Thy praise! O! for a voice of seraphim My song of Thee to raise; That I might waken every heart, Enkindled with desire To know of Thee and read Thy Words Filled with celestial fire.

O! for a Pentacostal power To utter forth Thy Name With all its glorious Light Divine, Its wonders to proclaim; Thy Name which stirs the universe, Creating thru Its might A world renewed, a heaven renewed, Revealed unto man's sight.

O! for a heart all crystal pure And calm as summer sea, That it might catch Thy rays divine And so reflect but Thee!

Thou art God's manifested Love, His glory for all time, His Sun of Truth omnipotent, His Majesty Sublime! -SHAHNAZ WAITE.

V THE MODERN SANCTUARY

The Making of the Temple

What Hand arrayed the Hopes of all the Ages In this bright Shape-this many-pointed Star? What Architect designed this firm foundation On which to build Love's templed Avatar?

What Wisdom set the waning Lights of Jesus Above the centuries for evermore; Emblazoning across a mystic portal Those everlasting words, "I am the Door!"

What Master-mind conceived these Gates of Splendor, Nine golden Doors encircling round about; That it should be "A Dawning-Place of Praises," Claiming the true, the faithful and devout?

Here God is One! O Master of the Temple! In Thee we trust and all the world is kin, Thus, by Muhammad, "Seal of all the Prophets," By Moses and by Buddha-let them in!

By every Cup that frees from sin and sorrow, Enter, ye tribes and nations, and be blest. Here each hath life beneath its healing shadow, And thus God made the Temple of His Rest! -JANET BOLTON.

VI THE LEADER (To ‘Abdu’l-Bahá)

Great Leader, lofty soul, Whose orb of beauty went, A blazing aureole Across the firmament.

Thou calm and vast and wise, Thou shining sweet and good, Whose word brings Paradise If men but understood.

No prison walls or chain Could stem thy streaming heart; Thy bars are rent in twain, Thy tomb is torn apart

Thou Golden Rose of God, Thou bloom within our blight, Thou Star upon our sod, Thou Day within our night.

Thou challenge in this place, Thou lightning, storm and wind, Thou lover of the race, Thou servant of mankind! -ANGELA MORGAN.

VII WINGS

I saw Him sweep beneath the orange trees, His robe a great white wing against the summer sky. So swift His majesty that scarce my eager lips Had breathed His name, before He vanished Down the golden aisles.

Today the Gothic arches of these northern pines Are filled with music of the wings of Light; Strange gold mosaics gleam upon the bronzy floor Of this vaster forest Temple of our God.

Here once He passed, the radiant Lord of Life, While petalled sunlight fell about His feet; His face was lifted to the fragrant winds That caught the wingéd silver of His robe.

The soaring pillars of the pines are silent now, The paths that knew His Beauty dream, in misted memory. Yet still, far down the blue-green corridors There shines the radiance of a swift white wing.

O Thou majestic Bird of God, [Page 520] Then I saw the blue haze of morning shift. Who knowest the mysteries of interstellar space And all the ancient ways of Heaven,— We would be winged, strong and free! Give us some little silver wings That We may follow Thee! -GENEVIEVE L. COY.

VIII ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ (Love Is the Clue)

O Heart of Love, we turn to thee To guide us over life's strange, trackless sea. The thinker thinks his intellect the goal But we know better, you and I, my soul; Love is the clue, and Love the guiding, too; Without it none may pass life's mystic portals through. And so to that great Splendor of Desire far away, Love be my company, and Love my stay. -STANWOOD COBB.

The destroying forces were withdrawn, And the clamour of tongues was lost In a solemn thrill that came down the mountain-side. Among the low shrubs I lay quiet. Soon a figure, wrapped in a long, flowing robe, passed me,— A figure magnificent. My soul—burdened, weighed down, beheld the white form, And purged of all else but the heaven I yearned for— Reached out in the silence. Today He is gone! His mantle of earth He has laid aside; Only the wonderful whiteness of His presence Still lingers. I have looked into the heart of His desire for me And am content, for I understand. -EDITH BURR.

IX THE APPEAL

By His side I wandered and saw His hands outstretched To give. Under the beautiful sun of glory He walked, Administering to the poor,—no word of censure, Only a quiet giving of self, always a giving of self. And I could only smile and wonder, not understanding. Yesterday, when the blue haze of morning covered the world, I came upon Him unawares; He stood pensive, contemplating the drifting clouds Above Mount Carmel. Suddenly the garment of sorrow descended upon Him, And I felt Him surrounded by warring elements: A myriad voices tore the delicate fibre of His being; At once He seemed overcome with longing And fell prone upon the warm earth. Alas, I heard Him sob and I shuddered— But I understood. "Thine aid, O Father!" He whispered, Soaring to heaven with soul-pinions fleet; "Thine aid, O Father! Thy children stand on a precipice, Caught in a whirlwind of destroying forces; Help me to reveal the loveliness of Thy desire for them! Let them look into the heart of Thy glory! Thou hast called me. Ere I cast the earth mantle away, I would tie the jeweled sandals of love upon their feet, That when I am gone, they may remember, remember!"

X THE CARMEL MONKS

A waxen Virgin hovers in the gloom Lit with red gems and candles, and the fume Of agate clouds of incense; heavy sighs Hang listless in the air, and upturned eyes Are straining for the brazen trump of doom. The monks are waiting yet for Christ to come. On Carmel mountain they have made their home, Over the shore where the wan ocean dies. To beautify His coming roses bloom, And tuberoses, and yellow Spanish broom, And in the chapel singing voices rise; But Christ has come, and gone again, and wise Were they who kissed His feet and saw Him home -M. K. NABÍL.

XI THE MOUNT OF FAITHFULNESS

A Height Divine awaits the severed soul— "The Secret placeless Place of The Most High!" It is that looming, lofty, matchless Goal For which the mounting faithful only sigh. O mystic nightingale! Abandon thou The mortal dust, the mire of negligence. O messenger of love! Hear Him Who now Melodiously entreats departure hence. The Beauty of Perfection bids thy flight. Unto the fragrant Garden of His Love. Soar on thy wings into the Infinite! Heed thy Beloved's first call from above. Immortal phenix! Thy One Love confess;— Dwell not save on the Mount of Faithfulness! -WALTER H. BOWMAN. [Page 521]

SONG OFFERINGS

To LOUIS BOURGEOIS

O thou who caught the vision crystal clear And brought it forth to man in outer form, A thing so mystical, so wondrous fair, That those who stand before it, bow their heads As if before a shrine and say, "Behold! This is the work of God, and not of man! A Temple whose design was drawn above, And given to humanity through thee."

How pure a mirror must have been thy heart, That it could draw from realms invisible This radiant ray of truth, and it reflect In all its splendor to a waiting world. This is the Temple of the Living God, A House of Worship, Unity and Love; Where all who enter in are one in Him, And in that oneness ever will abide.

Its form divine is like a mighty chord Of sweet celestial music-spreading peace And harmony throughout the world. It is The "Lost Chord" found again, the chord of love, That shall retune each heart with Power Divine Until the whole world joins in one great song, That Song of Life-the Song of the Redeemed.

Blessed thou art, thrice blessed thou indeed, Whom God didst choose to be a channel pure, To give this Glorious Temple to the world. Thou art not dead, but risen to higher realms, Thy work not finished; thou shalt still work on And guide the hands of those who daily build, Until completion crowns the Temple's brow; Then with the "Choir Invisible" thou wilt join In songs of praise, while from the temple's doors The songs of little children, sweet and pure, Will float out far upon etheric waves, Encircling all the earth with Peace and Love.

In fondest memory thou wilt still live on, And ever will the Temple speak of thee; For God through thee didst give it unto man A Monument of sacrifice and love To shed its glorious light of knowledge true; And in that light shall men see face to face, And East and West forevermore be one.

-SHAHNAZ WAITE.

GREEN ACRE

I would stand on the knoll that overlooks The radiant River of Light; And lift my eyes to the distant hills, From whence come strength and life!

I would walk through forest aisles, where pine Trees rise like cathedral spires; And in the hush of early morning hours, Feel the peace that God inspires.

Once again, I would enter the Inn, The Inn that is glorified, Because it had room and welcome for Him, Our Lord, to enter and abide!

Green Acre, Green Acre, home of my soul, My heart ever turns to thee; The beautiful spot where the Master walked, And hallowed the earth for me!

-ELIZABETH HACKLEY.

THE DAWN

Ye nations of the earth! Awake! Arise! Throw off the mildewed garments of the past, And don the seamless robe of Unity; For ye are all the leaves of one Great Tree, And drops of the One Ocean of God's Love; Flowers ye are of many varied hues, All springing from the one kind mother earth, Why then this hatred, prejudice and strife?

These walls of high division and distrust, This lack of understanding, which doth chill And kill, as doth the frost, the buds of faith? Return ye to your Source where all are One, And there behold each other face to face. No longer seeing through a darkened glass Which in the past hath held ye far apart.

The hour hath struck! Awake and see God's Light! His glory soon shall fill the Universe, And His great Tent of Unity be pitched, Where all nations, races, sects and creeds, Shall meet and form a Fellowship Divine, Freed from all discord and oppression dark, REALITY the Tree of Ancient Root, Is now in bloom, and soon shall bear Its fruit;

The Doors of Knowledge are flung open wide, The Light of Wisdom shineth on the path, And unto such as do obey God's Will, The Mysteries Divine shall be revealed; Humanity's true heritage of Love Awaits ye at the Court of God's Command. Put on your garments New of Brotherhood, And come ye forth with Joy to greet the Dawn.

-SHAHNAZ WAITE.

IN "HIS GARDEN"

The dew is on the petals of the rose; The lark sings out his greetings to the sun; A dewdrop glistens with resplendent light; The dawning of the day has just begun.

Upon this misty morn the Master walks, With majesty and power that thrills the earth, With piercing eyes of far celestial light, He sees each earth-born spirit at its worth.

The floating, graceful robes, illumined face, The glistening turban white, the aba bright; With peace ineffable, no word can name, The Master walks in palpitating light. [Page 522] O hallowed strip of leafy bower green, O rapturous love and glory so divine; O attar of the rose, bowed heads anointing! Delectable fragrance—O to be Thine! The dewdrop glistens in the morning sun, A dazzling prism, radiant and bright. O may we now be like the clear dewdrop, Reflecting Thy sweet fragrance and Thy Light. —RUTH J. MOFFETT.

XVI

AFTER SEEING THE MOVING PICTURE OF ‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ

He walked the earth once, patient and tender And the Light Of Heaven shone around Him. All who saw Him Felt the joy and peace and love. Shall we forget? Nay, still He walks among us. We are blind, Wrapped in a storm of self. His sun still shines Into the hearts of men. Reach forth your hand, my brother. Here is mine. Clasp we in deathless love This shining hour. Then when the storm shall fold us Once again In its gray fury, though we see not clear, Still hands shall clasp, and hearts Shall still remember. And the temptation shall lead unto light, And the light shall shine. It shall flame till it burn away Desire and doubt. And then shall come a river Deep and clear To sweep away the ashes And leave naught But white sand shining sweet and clean Unsoiled by struggle. And then shall come a voice, Saying— I was the doubt and the desire The light, the flame, the river And the sands, I was the struggle and the triumph. I am God. —LORNA B. TASKER.

XVII

THE MESSAGE

THE BÁB O Herald of the King of Kings From Whom creation’s power springs The mission thine to blaze the way Which leads to realms of endless day;

To be thyself the mystic sign Of perfect love and power divine; To resurrect the souls of men And wealth devise beyond our ken. Thy shining form was sometimes sad Yet still thou mad’st creation glad; Through martyrdom did’st plant the seeds Which fructified in wondrous deeds. Grant all, through deeds without desire To witness thy celestial fire.

BAHÁ’U’LLÁH O manifested Sun of Man Thy sheen the reign of peace began. Thine exile proved to man his home. Thy shackles freed the souls to roam The universe of God’s great love Directed by the Heavenly Dove. The kings, their homage due to thee, Enthroned, etherial majesty, Shall bring the treasures of the earth Memorial to thy cycle’s birth. The sweetest carols angels sing Proclaim the oneness of our King. O deathless Flame of Beauty bright Set fire our souls, bestow thy might!

‘ABDU’L-BAHÁ O Servant of the Light of God Help us to bear the chastening rod; Like thee to bless when others curse— So shape our lives by Heaven’s verse. How like the Father through the years Did’st thou restrain the fount of tears Which in thy children sought to flow Forth from the deep of human woe. How cheered the hearts that turned to thee! How sweet thy rare humility! With wisdom great thou didst the Ark Guide through the storms of hatred dark. To vivify the souls endeared The mystery of God appeared. —LOUIS G. GREGORY.

XVIII

THE MYSTERY OF GOD

Into what painted picture have I stepped Mirror to radiance of more joyous stars, So vainly, vainly beat Spent echoes at my feet— Tired world that fought too many frantic wars, World where Jesus wept. A dream of sudden sleep—or I have slept Blind lives away behind imagined bars And broke what cannot break The heart to this awake, Tired world that fought too many frantic wars, World where Jesus wept. [Page 523]

SONG OFFERINGS

Here Memory kindles, long from memory swept, And Love consumes his human mask of scars. The thunder of his Word From heaven to heaven is heard! Tired World that fought too many frantic wars, World where Jesus wept. I came, I saw, I am. Serenely kept Unmarred among the multitude that mars- Glory of God!-be known Thy Presence to Thy own Tired world that fought too many frantic wars, World where Jesus wept.

XIX

-HORACE HOLLEY.

THE SONG OF THE PINE OF BAHJÍ

I am the Pine of Bahjí, and my limbs Bear scars of pain, still they are full of light. Sun love caresses them with golden glow. Moon fills their depth with peacefulness at night.

I am the ancient pine of centuries; The sentinel who stands without a sword, By day, by night, by radiant dawn I guard The Threshold of the Prophet of the Lord.

Before the Prophet came I was alone; All day the caravans went trooping by, Yet no one stopped-the sun was dull like bronze, And there were no bright stars across the sky.

I was alone and blind, nor could I hear The singing of the glad bird on his nest- Until one day two people, passing by, Stopped for a moment in my shade to rest.

Oh glorious day! My branches filled with joy, The sun sent forth her radiating light, I woke, and to my some blind eyes there came Dawn, and the clearness of eternal sight!

-MARY ALICE PEARMAN.