The jewels of whose crown were shaped like thorns. He stood to welcome, and the gates unclosed, And passing through them, all the death sealed eyes Were opened, and they lived! And then I knew What happiness could mean. To leave the Earth, With all its torturing pains and ills of flesh; The lingering, long disease, the wasted frame, And, e’en in health, the constant dread of death, That like the sword of Damocles impends, And none may tell its fall. And worse than flesh, The tortures of the mind in fetters bound; Its chafings at its puling impotence, Its longing after things beyond its reach, Its craving after knowledge never given, Its constant discontent with present time, Its looking towards a future, that but breaks To light alone in distance, never near; Its maddening retrospect o’er wasted life, And loss of golden opportunities; Its consciousness of merit none admit, Its sense of gross injustice from the world; The forced reflections on the sway of self, And consequent contempt for all mankind, Or shameful servitude to their regard; The poisoned thorns, that skirt the “Narrow Way”; The sneering laugh, the tongue of calumny, The envious spites and hates ’tween man and man, The doubts that swarm with thought about our soul, That whispers all our labor here is vain, That death is but extinction, Heaven a myth! To leave all these, and find a perfect life, To know that Heaven is sure eternally, That sickness ne’er again will waste our frame, That death shall never come again. The mind In perfect peace and happiness; the hidden Spread out before its ken; a sweet content Pervading every thought, because “just now” Yields happiness as great as future years; Because Life’s highest end is now attained. The consciousness of merit, with reward Surpassing far all we deserved. A Home Of perfect peace, no envious spite or hate Within its sacred walls, but all pure love Towards our fellows, gratitude to God, A gratitude that all Eternal life Will not suffice to prove. ’Twere joy enough To lie before the Throne, and ever cry Our thanks for mercy so supreme! And oh! The vast tranquillity of those who feel That life on Earth is ended, Heaven gained! The Angel marked my gaze of rapt delight, And said, “Wouldst thou go nearer?” Swift as light We moved towards the City. On the steps, In dreamy ecstasy, I lay, afraid to move, Lest all the panorama should dissolve. I cared not that I was unfit to go, I cared not that I must return to Earth; I felt one moment in the Golden walls Was worth a dungeon’s chains “threescore and ten.” The glory of its music, and its light, Grew too intense, and sense forsook my brain.