There is No Death

"There is No Death" - Lord Lytton



There is no death! The stars go down
To rise upon some fairer shore;
And bright in Heaven's jewelled crown
They shine forevermore.

There is no death! The dust we tread
Shall change beneath the summer showers,
To golden grain or mellow fruit,
Or rainbow-tinted flowers.

The granite rocks disorganized
To feed the hungry moss they bear;
The forest trees drink daily life
From out the viewless air.

There is no death! the leaves may fall,
The flowers may fade and pass away
They only wait, through wintry hours,
The coming of the May.

There is no death! an angel form
Walks o'er the earth with silent tread;
He bears our best-loved things away-
And then we call them "dead."

He leaves our hearts all desolate;
He plucks ours fairest, sweetest flowers;
Transplanted into bliss, they now
Adorn immortal bowers.

For where he sees a smile too bright,
Or heart too pure for taint of vice,
He bears it to that world of light,
To dwell in Paradise.

The bird-like voice whose joyous tones
Made glad this scene of sin and strife,
Sings now the everlasting song
Amid the Tree of Life.

Though passed beyond our tear-dimmed sight,
'Tis but a larger life to gain;
We feel their presence oft- the same,
Except in sin and pain.

And ever near us, though unseen,
The dear immortal spirits tread;
For all the boundless universe
Is life- there is no dead!