The night is melting into day,
The crowing bird the silence breaks,
The constellations fade away,
And opening flower its color takes.
Green alleys overhung with trees,
Wide lawns all tremulous with dew,
Gray curling mists from valleys rise,
And grow defined upon the view.
The choral song to light awakes
Through Nature's grand cathedral height
In melting strains the chorus breaks
"To God! to God! for He is light!"
The plaintive voice of lowing kine
Calling the missing forth to graze,
Evinces feelings warm and fine
As those the human heart displays.
See, by the nest on yonder tree,
The parent bird fond care renew;
He culls her food from hill and lea,
And brings for drink the morning dew!
Man in Heaven's image doomed to toil
Unlike all else of breathing life,
Forth comes to till the teeming soil,
With sweat of brow, in earnest strife.
God's smile of love rests over all,
His mercy the whole earth doth span;
He whispers, 'mid our days of toil,
Immortal life belongs to man!
