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Poem
November 12, 1856
Grand River Times
Eastmanville, Grand Haven, Ottawa County, Michigan
What is this article about?
A poem inspired by an aged man's response of 'Only waiting' in an alms-house, depicting his peaceful anticipation of death as the end of earthly life and transition to heavenly light, with imagery of lengthening shadows, reapers, and angels.
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OCR Quality
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Excellent
Full Text
ONLY WAITING.
A very aged man, in an alms-house, was asked
what he was doing. He replied, "Only waiting."
Only waiting till the shadows
Are a little longer grown,
Only waiting till the glimmer
Of the day's last beam is flown;
Till the night of earth is faded
From the heart full of day:
Till the stars of heaven are breaking
Through the twilight soft and gray.
Only waiting till the reapers
Have the last sheaf gathered home,
For the summer time is faded,
And the autumn winds have come.
Quickly, reapers, gather quickly
The last ripe hours of my heart,
For the bloom of life is withered,
And I hasten to depart.
Only waiting till the angels
Open wide the mystic gate,
At whose feet I long have lingered,
Weary, poor and desolate.
Even now I hear their footsteps
And their voices far away;
If they call me, I am waiting,
Only waiting to obey.
Only waiting till the shadows
Are a little longer grown,
Only waiting till the glimmer
Of the day's last beam is flown.
Then from out the gathering darkness,
Holy, deathless stars shall rise,
By whose light my soul shall gladly
Tread its pathway to the skies.
A very aged man, in an alms-house, was asked
what he was doing. He replied, "Only waiting."
Only waiting till the shadows
Are a little longer grown,
Only waiting till the glimmer
Of the day's last beam is flown;
Till the night of earth is faded
From the heart full of day:
Till the stars of heaven are breaking
Through the twilight soft and gray.
Only waiting till the reapers
Have the last sheaf gathered home,
For the summer time is faded,
And the autumn winds have come.
Quickly, reapers, gather quickly
The last ripe hours of my heart,
For the bloom of life is withered,
And I hasten to depart.
Only waiting till the angels
Open wide the mystic gate,
At whose feet I long have lingered,
Weary, poor and desolate.
Even now I hear their footsteps
And their voices far away;
If they call me, I am waiting,
Only waiting to obey.
Only waiting till the shadows
Are a little longer grown,
Only waiting till the glimmer
Of the day's last beam is flown.
Then from out the gathering darkness,
Holy, deathless stars shall rise,
By whose light my soul shall gladly
Tread its pathway to the skies.
What sub-type of article is it?
Elegy
Hymn
What themes does it cover?
Death Mourning
Religious Faith
What keywords are associated?
Waiting For Death
Alms House
Reapers
Angels
Heavenly Light
Poem Details
Title
Only Waiting.
Subject
Aged Man In Alms House Waiting For Death
Form / Style
Rhymed Stanzas
Key Lines
Only Waiting Till The Shadows Are A Little Longer Grown,
Only Waiting Till The Angels Open Wide The Mystic Gate,
Then From Out The Gathering Darkness, Holy, Deathless Stars Shall Rise,