To Calm This Restless Discontent - H.E.R.R.

To Calm This Restless Discontent - H.E.R.R.
How glares the noble front of Heaven
Why streams the holy light so red
Upon our face overspread
With mournful mists from darkness driven
What sad cloud hath profaned
That pure and never-stained
Clear sapphire wondrous bright
The fire the flame the light
Of the resplendent Power
Omnipotence Why doth that glow
Of God as black as blood thus grow
That in our aery bower
So pleased our eyes O Angels say
The cause of this deep gloom now dimming
Your radiance O'er Adam's sway
On choral raptures ye were swimming
On Spirit breath amid a glow
That vault and choir and court below
And towers and battlements o'erflooded
With showers of gold while joys unclouded
Smiled from the brows of all that live:
Who is it can the reason give
When Gabriel's trumpet richly sounding
Inflamed our souls till a new song
Of praise burst forth among
Those dales with roses fair abounding
'Mid the celestial bowers
Of Paradise whose flowers
Did ope joyed by such dew
Of praise then upwards through
The vast seemed Envy stealing
A countless host of Spirits dumb
And wan and pale and sad and grum
In crowds dire woe revealing
Crept slowly past with drooping eye
And forehead smooth now frowning rimple
The doves of Heaven here on high
Once innocent and pure and simple
Began to sigh and seemed to grieve
As if e'en Heaven they did believe
Too small since Adam was created
And man for such a crown was fated
This stain offends the Eye of Light:
It flames the face of the Infinite
In love we would yet mingle in their ranks:
Again to calm this restless discontent