452 SELECTED POETRY FOR THE GRANGE. 



Doubling the splendor of the plain, 

 There rolled the great celestial wain, 

 To gather in the fallen grain. 

 Its frame was built of golden bars; 

 Its glowing wheels were lit with stars; 

 The royal harvest s car of cars. 



The snowy yoke that drew the load, 

 On gleaming hoofs of silver trode; 

 And music was its only goad. 

 To no command of word or beck 

 It moved, and felt no other check 

 Than one white arm laid on the neck, 



The neck, whose light was overwound 

 With bells of lilies, ringing round 

 Their odors till the air was drowned: 

 The starry foreheads meekly borne, 

 With garlands looped from horn to horn, 

 Shone like the many-colored morn. 



The field was cleared. Home went the bands^ 

 Like children, linking happy hands, 

 While singing through their father s lands; 

 Or, arm about each other thrown, 

 With amber tresses backward blown. 

 They moved as they were music s own. 



The vision brightened more and morej 



He saw the garner s glowing door, 



And sheaves, like sunshine, strew the floor, 



The floor was jasper, golden flails, 



Swift sailing as a whirlwind sails, 



Throbbed mellow music down the vales. 



He saw the mansion, all repose, 

 Great corridors and porticos, 

 Propped with the columns, shining rows; 

 And these for beauty was the rule 

 The polished pavements, hard and cool, 

 Redoubled, like a crystal pool. 



And there the odorous feast was spread- 

 The fruity fragrance, widely shed, 

 Seemed to the floating music wed; 

 Seven angels, like the Pleiad seven, 

 Their lips to silver clarions given, 

 Blew welcome round the walls of heaven. 



In skyey garments, silky thin, 



The clad retainers floated in 



A thousand forms, and yet no din: 



And from the visage of the Lord, 



Like splendor from the Orient poured, 



A smile illumined all the board. 



