Meditations at Twilight

AH, more and more at evening,

When twilight edges to its end,

And darkness, eastern caverns leaving,

Her shadow o’er creation bend;

The lowing moments foster meaning

Upon the pageant of decay,

As glory into night diffusing

Brings untoward sadness in her way.

Within that evening calm there comes

A recollection faint and dim

Of boyhood, of Sabbath hour and homes,

Of synagogue and temple hymn,

When in abated breath we heard

The echoes of our spirit-fathers,

In praise and reverential word

Of prayer. This spirit hovers.

Their hymns re-echo in my dreams,

They too felt doubt, despondency;

And saw our mistrusts also beam

In thought. The poet and sages fancy

Gave them hope beyond our mind,

More truthful to the thought of God,

To attributes that firmly bind

A God above—yet man to sod.

For ages have Thy children sought

And find Thy mercy hath no end,

Greater thought and deeds are wrought

On earth to-day, than in the trend

Of generations turned to dust;

Still must with love our bosom heave,

With hope and common manful trust,

The rest—to God we meekly leave.

And lo! upon yon lum’nous ascent,

There glitters joyously the star

Proclaiming night. Ah, day hath sent

Her messengers of light afar,

Come spirit of the evening, dwell

With us, and in our life’s increase

Of doubt and the annoying spell,

Of discontent—to us—bring peace.