The Judgment

I DREAMED that I saw the Judgment set:
Ah, the old world’s tale’s untrue!
There was no throne in the clouds of heaven,
No armies in all the blue;

But a lonely man, with sad sweet face,
Slow walking from soul to soul —
Of all the pomp of the last dread day
This one sad man was the whole.

My soul stood naked before the man;
To my naked soul he spake,
And pointed up to a tall, pearl gate
Where the skies began to break.

“ I am the Lord of that house,” he said,
“ My supper up there is spread;
I invite your soul, I ask each soul
Among all the quick and dead:

“ Come sup with me, I will sup with you,
We ’ll drink of the sweet new wine. You are the branch, and I ask you in
Unto Christ, the living vine.”

I bowed my head, and I said, “My Lord,
I cannot go in with thee,
For I am one of the world whose sins
Once nailed thy hands to a tree.

“ I am worse than much of the world besides,
And mine is the greater blame,
For I have owned and disowned thee, both,
And put thee to open shame.

“Go sup with thee? Ah, my Lord, not so;
Let my soul go out into night,
Where I ne’er shall hear an angel sing,
Nor see one star of thy light.

“Let me be forgot by thee, my Lord,
Unknown to the holy throng,
Unknowing myself the happy place
Where they sing the Lamb’s new song.

“I could not breathe in that high, pure air,
I should falter at every star,
I should discord make if I tried to sing;
Thy glory would kill me afar.

“So let me go to the night of space,
Where never thy love can be;
It is heaven enough to have ceased to sin;
There, silent, I ’ll worship thee.”

He waved his hand, I lifted my head,
I looked for the gulfs of night,
But the crowns of heaven were gilding space
And heaven alone was in sight.

“Unworthy thou,” the sweet voice said,
“ I grant it, but look on me:
I have been worthy for all the world,
And my righteousness give to thee.”

Then he led me in to his right hand,
Above, where the stars do shine;
He placed me among the wedding guests,
And himself poured out the wine,

And said, “ There is now no night in space,
I am the sun, it is day.” And I dared to kneel and to kiss his feet,
For my sins had passed away.