Henry Van Dyke

Name: The Poems of Henry Van Dyke
Author: Henry Van Dyke

Summary

The Poems of Henry Van Dyke, a collection by the American author Henry Van Dyke, explores themes of conflict, hope, and the dynamic between human vulnerability and spiritual strength. Through narrative poems and reflective verses, the work features characters such as Naaman, Ruahmah, and Tsarpi, whose conversations and challenges reflect broader existential and ethical dilemmas.

Central symbols—stars, music, the flag, and the garden—intertwine to evoke both the shadow of human strife and the potential for salvation, while mentions of "labour," "glory," and "the blue" highlight a contrast between worldly effort and higher aspirations. The poems, distinguished by their emotional depth and symbolic complexity, unite personal and universal searches for significance amid chaos.

Quotes from The Poems of Henry Van Dyke (Henry Van Dyke)

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Ruahmah:
My lord,—my lord,—O listen! You have erred,—
You do mistake me now,—this dream—
Naaman:
Ah, wake me not! For I can conquer death
Dreaming this dream. Let me at last believe,
Though gods are cruel, a woman can be kind.
Grant me but this! For see,—I ask so little,—
Only to know that thou art faithful,
That thou art near me, though I touch thee not,—
O this will hold me up, though it be given
From pity more than love.
Ruahmah: [Trembling, and speaking slowly.]
Not so, my lord!
My pity is a stream; my pride of thee
Is like the sea that doth engulf the stream ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Naaman:
If there were such a God, I'd worship Him
Forever!
Ruahmah:
Then make haste to hear the word
His prophet promises to speak to thee!
Obey it, my dear lord, and thou shalt find
Healing and peace. The light shall fill thine eyes.
Thou wilt not need my leading any more,—
Nor me,—for thou wilt see me, all unveiled,—
I tremble at the thought.
Naaman:
Why, what is this?
Why shouldst thou tremble? Art thou not mine own?
Ruahmah: [Turning to him and speaking in broken words.]
I am,—thy handmaid,—all and only thine,—
The very pulses of my heart are thine! ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Ruahmah: [At his feet.]
Nay, not alone, dear lord, for I am here;
And I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee!
Naaman:
What voice is that? The silence of my tomb
Is broken by a ray of music,—whose?
Ruahmah: [Rising.]
The one who loves thee best in all the world.
Naaman:
Why that should be,—O dare I dream it true?
Tsarpi, my wife? Have I misjudged thy heart
As cold and proud? How nobly thou forgivest!
Thou com'st to hold me from the last disgrace,—
The coward's flight into the dark. Go back
Unstained, my sword! Life is endurable
While there is one alive on earth who loves us. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ While the stars die out in the blue above,
And the wan moon fades away.
How short is the day, brother,
And how short is the night?
Oh, the day's too long for a heavy task,
And long, long, long is the night,
When the wakeful hours are filled with pain,
And the sad heart waits for the thing it fears,
And sighs for the dawn to come again,—
The night is a thousand years!
How long is a life, dear God,
And how fast does it flow?
The measure of life is a flame in the soul:
It is neither swift nor slow.
But the vision of time is the shadow cast
By the fleeting world on the body's wall ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Waking is strife; sleep is the truce of God!
Ah, lady, wake him not. The day will be
Full long for him to suffer, and for us
To turn our disappointed faces home
On the long road by which we must return.
Ruahmah:
Return! Who gave you that command? Not I!
The King made me the leader of this quest,
And bound you all to follow me, because
He knew I never would return without
The thing for which he sent us. I'll go on
Day after day, unto the uttermost parts
Of earth, if need be, and beyond the gates
Of morning, till I find that which I seek,—
New life for Naaman. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Naaman:
What word is that? The leper has no hope.
Ruahmah:
Dear lord, the mark upon thy brow is yet
No broader than my little finger-nail.
Thy force is not abated, and thy step
Is firm. Wilt thou surrender to the enemy
Before thy strength is touched? Why, let me put
A drop of courage from my breast in thine!
There is a hope for thee. The captive maid
Of Israel who dwelt within thy house
Knew of a god very compassionate,
Long-suffering, slow to anger, one who heals
The sick, hath pity on the fatherless,
And saves the poor and him who has no helper. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Chaos and clamor of the strife
Where no man thinks of his life
But only of fighting through,
Blindly fighting through, through!
'Tis done
At last!
The victory won,
The dissonance of warfare past!
O Music mourn the dead
Whose loyal blood was shed,
And sound the taps for every hero slain;
Then lead into the song
That made their spirit strong,
And tell the world they did not die in vain.
Thank God we can see, in the glory of morn,
The invincible flag that our fathers defended;
And our hearts can repeat what the heroes have sworn,
That war shall not end till the war-lust is ended. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ And thinks God's thoughts of glory after Him.
What knows the star that guides the sailor's way,
Or lights the lover's bower with liquid ray,
Of toil and passion, danger and distress,
Brave hope, true love, and utter faithfulness?
But human hearts that suffer good and ill,
And hold to virtue with a loyal will,
Adorn the law that rules our mortal strife
With star-surpassing victories of life.
So take our thanks, dear reader of the skies,
Devout astronomer, most humbly wise,
For lessons brighter than the stars can give,
And inward light that helps us all to live. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ That sprinkle drops of music everywhere,
Lord of the sea of melody that laves
The universe with never silent waves,—
Him will I thank that this brief breath of mine
Has caught one cadence of the song divine;
And these frail fingers learned to rise and fall
In time with that great tune which throbs thro' all;
And these poor lips have lent a lilt of joy
To songless men whom weary tasks employ!
My life has had its music, and my heart
In harmony has borne a little part,
And now I come with quiet, grateful breast
To Death's dim hall of silence and of rest. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ And the stars were riven asunder, the heavens were desolate,
While brother fought with brother, each for his country's cause:
But the country of one was the Nation, the country of other the State.
Oh, who shall measure the praise or blame in a strife so vast?
And who shall speak of traitors or tyrants when all were true?
We lift our eyes to the sky, and rejoice that the storm is past,
And we thank the God of all that the Union shines in the blue.
Yea, it glows with the glory of peace and the hope of a mighty race,
High over the grave of broken chains and buried hates ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ LOVE'S NEARNESS I think of thee when golden sunbeams glimmer
Across the sea;
And when the waves reflect the moon's pale shimmer
I think of thee.
I see thy form when down the distant highway
The dust-clouds rise;
In darkest night, above the mountain by-way
I see thine eyes.
I hear thee when the ocean-tides returning
Aloud rejoice;
And on the lonely moor in silence yearning
I hear thy voice.
I dwell with thee; though thou art far removed,
Yet thou art near.
The sun goes down, the stars shine out,—Beloved
If thou wert here! ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ While friends are fighting for thy cause beyond the guardian sea:
The battle that they wage is thine; thou fallest if they fall;
The swollen flood of Prussian pride will sweep unchecked o'er all.
O cruel is the conquer-lust in Hohenzollern brains:
The paths they plot to gain their goal are dark with shameful stains;
No faith they keep, no law revere, no god but naked Might;
They are the foemen of mankind. Up, Liberty, and smite!
Britain, and France, and Italy, and Russia newly born,
Have waited for thee in the night. Oh, come as comes the morn! ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ AMERICA'S WELCOME HOME Oh, gallantly they fared forth in khaki and in blue,
America's crusading host of warriors bold and true;
They battled for the rights of man beside our brave Allies,
And now they're coming home to us with glory in their eyes.
Oh, it's home again, and home again, America for me!
Our hearts are turning home again and there we long to be,
In our beautiful big country beyond the ocean bars,
Where the air is full of sunlight and the flag is full of stars.
Our boys have seen the Old World as none have seen before. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Naaman:
He is the only God! I worship Him!
Grant me a portion of the blessed soil
Of this most favoured land where I have found
His mercy; in Damascus will I build
An altar to His name, and praise Him there
Morning and night. There is no other God
In all the world.
Elisha:
Thou needst not
This load of earth to build a shrine for Him;
Yet take it if thou wilt. But be assured
God's altar is in every loyal heart,
And every flame of love that kindles there
Ascends to Him and brightens with His praise.
There is no other God! But evil Powers
Make war against Him in the darkened world ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ And thine the courage, thine the stronger will,
That built its loftier home on Princeton Hill.
“New light!” men cried, and murmured that it came
From an unsanctioned source with lawless flame;
It shone too free, for still the church and school
Must only shine according to their rule.
But Princeton answered, in her nobler mood,
“God made the light, and all the light is good.
There is no war between the old and new;
The conflict lies between the false and true.
The stars, that high in heaven their courses run,
In glory differ, but their light is one. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Thou art enriched in all things bought and sold!
But dost thou prosper? Better news I crave.
O dearest country, is it well with thee
Indeed, and is thy soul in health?
A nobler people, hearts more wisely brave,
And thoughts that lift men up and make them free,—
These are prosperity and vital wealth!
The Hague, October 1, 1916.
THE GLORY OF SHIPS The glory of ships is an old, old song,
since the days when the sea-rovers ran,
In their open boats through the roaring surf,
and the spread of the world began;
The glory of ships is a light on the sea,
and a star in the story of man. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Jove's golden shower into Danäe's breast!
Now on the plum-tree a snowy bloom is sifted,
Now on the peach-tree, the glory of the rose,
Far o'er the hills a tender haze is drifted,
Full to the brim the yellow river flows.
Dark cypress boughs with vivid jewels glisten,
Greener than emeralds shining in the sun.
Whence comes the magic? Listen, sweetheart, listen!
The mocking-bird is singing: Spring is begun.
Hark, in his song no tremor of misgiving!
All of his heart he pours into his lay,—
“Love, love, love, and pure delight of living:
Winter is forgotten: here's a happy day!” ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Now home again our heroes come:
Oh, welcome them with bugle and with drum,
Ring bells, blow whistles, make a joyful noise
Unto the Lord,
And welcome home our blue-star boys,
Whose manhood has made known
To all the world America,
Unselfish, brave and free, the Great Republic,
Who lives not to herself alone.
IV But many a lad we hold
Dear in our heart of hearts
Is missing from the home-returning host.
Ah, say not they are lost,
For they have found and given their life
In sacrificial strife:
Their service stars have changed from blue to gold! ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ For I am known to Naaman: but you
He blindly takes for Tsarpi. 'Tis to her
He gives his gratitude: the praise you win
Endears her name.
Ruahmah:
Her name? Why, what is that?
A name is but an empty shell, a mask
That does not change the features of the face
Beneath it. Can a name rejoice, or weep,
Or hope? Can it be moved by tenderness
To daily services of love, or feel the warmth
Of dear companionship? How many things
We call by names that have no meaning! Kings
That cannot rule; and gods that are not good;
And wives that do not love! ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Rezon:
Trust me, I repay his scorn
With double hatred,—Naaman, the man
Who stands against the nobles and the priests,
This powerful fool, this impious devotee
Of liberty, who loves the people more
Than he reveres the city's ancient god:
This frigid husband who sets you below
His dream of duty to a horde of slaves:
This man I hate, and I will humble him.
Tsarpi:
I think I hate him too. He stands apart
From me, ev'n while he holds me in his arms,
By something that I cannot understand.
He swears he loves his wife next to his honour!
Next? That's too low! I will be first or nothing. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ O flag, and let thy stars to-night be eyes
To see the visionary hosts
Of men and women grateful to be thine,
That joyfully arise
From all thy borders and thy coasts,
And follow after thee in endless line!
They lift to thee a forest of saluting hands;
They hail thee with a rolling ocean-roar
Of cheers; and as the echo dies,
There comes a sweet and moving song
Of treble voices from the childish throng
Who run to thee from every school-house door.
Behold thine army! Here thy power lies:
The men whom freedom has made strong,
And bound to follow thee by willing vows ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Out of the hidden skies,
“Thus far, O sea, shalt thou go,
So long, O wind, shalt thou blow:
Return to your bounds and cease,
And let the earth have peace!”
O Music, lead the way—
The stormy night is past,
Lift up our hearts to greet the day,
And the joy of things that last.
The dissonance and pain
That mortals must endure,
Are changed in thine immortal strain
To something great and pure.
True love will conquer strife,
And strength from conflict flows,
For discord is the thorn of life
And harmony the rose. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Dost thou fare well?
Ruahmah:
Master, thou seest.
Naaman:
Yes, I see! My child,
Why do they hate thee so?
Ruahmah:
I do not know,
Unless because I will not bow to Rimmon.
Naaman:
Thou needest not. I fear he is a god
Who pities not his people, will not save.
My heart is sick with doubt of him. But thou
Shalt hold thy faith,—I care not what it is,—
Worship thy god; but keep thy spirit free. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ The man who burns to drain the cup of love,
The priest whose greed of glory never fails,
Both, both have need of me, and he will come.
And I,—what do I need? Why everything
That helps my beauty to a higher throne;
All that a priest can promise, all a man
Can give, and all a god bestow, I need:
This may a woman win, and this will I.
[Enter Rezon quietly from the shadow of the trees. He stands behind Tsarpi and listens, smiling, to her last words. Then he drops his mantle of leopard-skin, and lifts his high priest's rod of bronze, shaped at one end like a star.]
Rezon:
Tsarpi! ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Blooming meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain,
Call us to rejoice in Thee.
Thou art giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother,—
All who live in love are Thine:
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the Joy Divine.
Mortals join the mighty chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
Father-love is reigning o'er us,
Brother-love binds man to man.
Ever singing march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ They who work without complaining do the holy will of God.
“Where the many toil together, there am I among my own;
Where the tired workman sleepeth, there am I with him alone.
“I, the peace that passeth knowledge, dwell amid the daily strife;
I, the bread of heaven, am broken in the sacrament of life.
“Every task, however simple, sets the soul that does it free;
Every deed of love and mercy, done to man, is done to me.
“Thou hast learned the open secret; thou hast come to me for rest;
With thy burden, in thy labour, thou art Felix, doubly blest. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ There is no Naaman now, and the Bull will devour Damascus like a bunch of leeks, flowers and all,—flowers and all, my double-budded fair one! Are you not afraid?
Nubta:
We belong to the House of Rimmon. He will protect us.
Shumakim:
What? The mighty one who hides behind the curtain there, and tells his secrets to Rezon? No doubt he will take care of you, and of himself. Whatever game is played, the gods never lose. But for the protection of the common people and the rest of us fools, I would rather have Naaman at the head of an army than all the sacred images between here and Babylon. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Gutenberg

Henry Van Dyke, The Poems of Henry Van Dyke

“ Perpetual music in the hearing heart.
Below the voice of waters, and above
The wandering voice of winds, and underneath
The song of birds, and all the varying tones
Of living things that fill the world with sound,
God spoke to her, and what she heard was peace.
So when the Master questioned, “Dost thou hear?”
She answered, “Yea, at last I hear.” And then
He asked her once again, “What hearest thou?
What means the voice of Life?” She answered, “Love!
For love is life, and they who do not love
Are not alive. But every soul that loves,
Lives in the heart of God and hears Him speak.” ”

Henry Van Dyke

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Quotes from The Poems of Henry Van Dyke (Henry Van Dyke)

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