O Decius! Tiger! Pitiless! Athirst
With quenchless rage, for blood of Christ's redeemed--
Armenia shall arise, by thee accursed,
On her at last has Light of Asia beamed,
And our Deliverer from the holy east
Shall dash the cup from thy Belshazzar feast!
Secure,
And pure,
Christ's saints shall reign,
And, purged by pain,
For aye endure!
Let Felix sacrifice me to thine ire,
Yea, let my rival captivate the soul
Of her who now with Decius doth conspire
To chain immortal hope to earthly goal;
Let earth-bound men pursue the world's desire,
Sense charms not him who doth to Heaven aspire!
Hail pain!
Disdain
All Earthly love,
To seek above
A holier fire!
Oh, Love that passeth knowledge be my stay,
And fire my heart to beat alone for thee!
Sun of my soul?--oh, flash one purest ray
In that last hour supreme--to comfort me,
So life's brief night shall merge in endless day!
Come, Death!
Last breath
Shall praise thy name,