Old Road to Paradise - Margaret Widdemer

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PRESCIENCE

       I TELL MY HEART

       FULFILMENT

       ONCE I MET HAPPINESS

       DENIAL

       THE MASTERS

       I SAID, "LOVE IS GONE"

       VAIN HIDING

       "MARY, HELPER OF HEARTBREAK"

       INTERIM

       OTHER PEOPLE

       AND IF YOU CAME–

       I WAS STILL A CHILD

       PEACE

       ONE WORSE THING

       GIVERS

       I TOOK HIS DREAMS

       CERTAINTIES

       SONG: KIND ADIEU

       I DID NOT KNOW

       AN AFTERNOON

       THE WOOD-PATH

       WARNING

      OURS is a dark Easter-tide,

       And a scarlet Spring,

       But high up at Heaven-Gate

       All the saints sing,

       Glad for the great companies

       Returning to their King.

       Oh, in youth the dawn's a rose,

       Dusk's an amethyst,

       All the roads from dusk to dawn

       Gay they wind and twist;

       The old road to Paradise

       Easy it is missed!

       But out on the wet battlefields,

       Few the roadways wind,

       One to grief, one to death

       No road that's kind–

       The old road to Paradise

       Plain it is to find!

       (Martin in his Colonel's cloak,

       Joan in her mail,

       David with his crown and sword–

       None there be that fail–

       Down the road to Paradise

       Stand to greet and hail!)

       Where the dark's a terror-thing,

       Morn a hope doubt-tossed.

       Where the lads lie thinking long

       Out in rain and frost,

       There they find their God again,

       Long ago they lost:

       Where the night comes cruelly,

       Where the hurt men moan,

       Where the crushed forgotten ones

       Whisper prayers alone,

       Christ along the battlefields

       Comes to lead His own:

       Souls that would have withered soon

       In the hot world's glare,

       Blown and gone like shriveled things,

       Dusty on the air,

       Rank on rank they follow Him,

       Young and strong and fair!

       Ours is a sad Easter-tide,

       And a woeful day,

       But high up at Heaven-Gate

       The saints are all gay,

       For the old road to Paradise,

       That's a crowded way!

       Table of Contents

      ALL of the Old Kings

       Are wakened from their sleep,

       Arthur out of Avalon,

       Ogier from the deep,

       Redbeard from his Dragon-Rock,

       Sigurd from his fen …

       "Is it time," they rise and cry,

       "To lead our hosts again?"

       They have donned their wingéd helms,

       They would rise and reign,

       The young king Sebastian,

       The old king Charlemagne,

       Harold with his great bow,

       Roland with his horn …

       Men have heard their horses' hoofs

       Many a scarlet morn!

       The Old Kings have risen …

       Where the hosts advance

       Redbeard cries his Germans on,

       Karle cries out for France,

       Up and down the battlefield

       Ghostly armies beat,

       Stilly down the gray sea glides

       Olaf's shadow-fleet:

       Up and down the red fields

       Men have seen them go,

       Seen the long plumes on the wind,

       Seen the pennons flow,

       Harry out of Agincourt

       Sends his bowmen wide,

       Joan that has forgiven them

       Battles at their side. …

       Christ, king of Paradise,

       Hasten with Thy hosts,

       Angels all in silver mail,

       Saints and blessed ghosts,

       Cry the long swords

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