I Did Not Reach Thee

1664

I did not reach Thee
But my feet slip nearer every day
Three Rivers and a Hill to cross
One Desert and a Sea
I shall not count the journey one
When I am telling thee.

Two deserts, but the Year is cold
So that will help the sand
One desert crossed-
The second one
Will feel as cool as land
Sahara is too little price
To pay for thy Right hand.

The Sea comes last-Step merry, feet,
So short we have to go-
To play together we are prone,
But we must labor now,
The last shall be the lightest load
That we have had to draw.

The Sun goes crooked-
That is Night
Before he makes the bend.
We must have passed the Middle Sea-
Almost we wish the End
Were further off-
Too great it seems
So near the Whole to stand.

We step like Plush,
We stand like snow,
The waters murmur new.
Three rivers and the Hill are passed-
Two deserts and the sea!
Now Death usurps my Premium
And gets the look at Thee.