by Robert Reece
The Two Choirs
Language: English
They sang of His peace and eternal aid, As they bore her to holy ground, And the birds sat hush'd in the yew tree's shade, When that anthem was wafted round. And save for the clang of the mournful bell, As it spoke with its iron tongue, There was nought but the silence of tears that fell For her who had died so young. They bent o'er her simple grave and wept With a last, heart-broken pang, And knew in her sweet great peace she slept, While the earthly choristers sang -- "She is gone from earth to her endless rest, In the regions beyond the day, To her Father's home, to His mighty breast, Where her tears shall be wiped away!" They leave her there and they creep aside, And slowly the grave they close, But the Gates of Glory are opened wide To welcome a soul's repose! A great light shines in those endless lands, So far from our earthly fears, The Eternal choir rejoicing stands With eyes that can know no tears! They lift her soul to the Father's breast And this song through Paradise rang -- "Welcome, our sister, to God's own rest," The white-winged choristers sang! "Thou art borne away thro' the Father's will, And your lov'd ones will come some day, When, free from earthly pain and ill, All tears shall be wiped away.
Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Henry Théodore Pontet (1833 - 1902), as Marie Piccolomini, "The Two Choirs", published 1895, London, Chappell & Co. [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2023-09-07
Line count: 32
Word count: 228