God's Song Book & A Comment
Brooke, Rupert (1887-1915)
God's Song Book (Translation of 'Liederbuch der Gottheit' by Christian Wagner)
Glory of earth and sky and sea,
God's book of song He gives to me!
A child, I turn each page thereof,
and read, remembering His love.
Spring sunlight, upon fen and fold,
And every page is edged with gold!
Gay flowers between the leaves are pressed
To mark the songs we love the best.
A Comment
God gives us, in earth's loveliness,
His own great song-book, it is stated.
We stumble through, (and have to guess
To whom or what it's dedicated!)
On first perusing, how we yearn to
Mark every song! but soon, my friend,
The only page we want to turn to
Holds two best words of all, 'The End'.
But, since we've got to read it through,
Let us, as true philosophers,
Sit down, and critically review
God's very minor book of verse.
One poem I've underlined -- the best --
(There's all sorts in God's poetry-book!):
But of the lot I most detest
God's vulgar lyric 'Rupert Brooke'.
* * *
And, if you're lenient, and declare
The faults and merits pretty equal,
At least you'll join my hearty prayer
'Dear Author, please don't write a sequel!'
1907