Henry Alford

Stratford-upon-Avon, January, 1837

WE stood upon the tomb of him whose praise
Time, nor oblivious thrift, nor envy chill,
Nor war, nor ocean with her severing space,
Shall hinder from the peopled world to fill;
And thus, in fulness of our heart, we cried:
God’s works are wonderful,—the circling sky,
The rivers that with noiseless footing glide,
Man’s firm-built strength, and woman’s liquid eye;
But the high spirit that sleepeth here below,
More than all beautiful and stately things,
Glory to God the mighty Maker brings;
To whom alone ’t was given the bounds to know
Of human action, and the secret springs
Whence the deep streams of joy and sorrow flow.