THE COLLECTED POEMS OF HENRIK IBSEN Translated by John ...

235
But at a sunbeam’s touch his brow unravels,
shines clearer now, smoothed into peace anew.
He saw a boat set out upon its travels;
far past the point two more came into view.
Soon he saw ten, all making for the spit,
and on the paths a busy agitation;
crowd upon crowd — there seemed no end to it —
the ancient parish church their destination.
It was near time for church. He contemplated
the strangely silent scene as it unrolls,
his words burst from him, though the voice was bated;
“What value have they for the Lord, those souls?
Across the world this is the holy hour;
there steeples in their thousands point on high;
there swells the organ; bells ring in the tower;
there anthems summon to tranquillity.
“There all is sun; there lofty hangs the sky;
out there soul rubs with soul until all’s shining,
thought’s ore is made a handle, by refining,
to raise the individual soul on high.
There mighty angels come, serenely sharing
the proffer of their tidings with mankind; —
the way to God’s still there, for man to find.
All that is needed is the will, the daring.
“But here. Observe the church’s shingle skin.
No tower, no pointing cross upon the steeple;
no organ plays; no bells call to the people,
and mountain upon mountain hems it in.
The snowfield’s pared the strip of sky remaining!
The mists oppress the heights dark shades besmirch!
But see the crowd of people, still maintaining
its creeping, crawling climb towards the church.
“These quiet folk, they too would wish to try
their voice in the world’s chorus, sing beside them.
What has God given them to raise them by?
What dove, to bear the Word, did He provide them?
What were they given but this life of dolour?
What moves them then to thanks, doxology?
He bade them, uttered forth His mighty ‘Be!’,
the folk became — the sons of wretched squalour.
“Would I knew this. If humankind’s creation
had perished as redemption’s hour drew near,
and only these been spared, — would sin’s purgation
have been secured through blood, as was ours here?
Would God have sent to such as these His son?