Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE HYMNARY: 305. ASCENSION, by HARTMANN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HYMNARY: 305. ASCENSION, by                    
First Line: Lord of all power and might
Last Line: To us eternal peace.
Alternate Author Name(s): Monk Of St. Gall
Subject(s): Ascension Day


LORD of all power and might,
Mankind redeemed, Who dost this day soar
Back to those realms of light
Where Thou satt'st throned before:

Ere skyward Thou didst rise
Thou badst Apostles to the world proclaim
God's pardon, and baptize
All in the Triune Name.

Nor didst Thou let depart,
Lord, from the holy city Thine eleven,
Till poured into their heart
Was that last gift of heaven.

"Lo! but a few days hence
Ye shall no more be comfortless: I go
To heaven, to send you thence
One Who shall soothe your woe:

"And in Samaria ye,
And in Judaea and in Jerusalem,
My witnesses shall be."
So spake the Lord to them.

He spake: and as they gazed
A cloud received Him, marvellously bright;
With wistful eyes upraised
They watched Him fade from sight:

Behold, two men stood near
Arrayed in white apparel; and they said --
"Why stand ye gazing here
Into the heaven o'erhead?

"This Jesus, to His Throne
Who this day riseth upon God's right hand,
Shall come again, His own
With usury to demand."

O God of earth, sea, sky;
Man, whom Thou madest, whom the Foe erewhile
From Eden forced to fly,
By craftiness and guile,

And dragged him to the night
Of death and darkness: and whom Thou, O Lord,
With Thine own Blood to light
And freedom hast restored:

Man yet again may win
The bliss he fell from: Thou hast paid the price;
Thou bidd'st him enter in
Once more to Paradise.

Thou shalt return: and men
Hear from Thy lips their doom or their release.
Grant, we beseech Thee, then
To us eternal peace.





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