This Side of Heaven or Summer Morn

This side of Heaven summer morning is its closest kin

Soft as the sigh of angels slips the light through night’s starred skin

And gentle as the touch of God’s hand stirs the sleepy breeze

Waking nature’s fair-feathered band in meadowland and trees

And on the girth of earth an anthem rises from the dew

The bloom unfolds its praises to the Maker of its hue

The brook gurgles in gladness at the mercy of new day

Farmers inhale the fragrance of heaven in fresh-mown hay

The gard’ner sings as worship from heart full of wonder brims

Heaven’s foothills spill miracles in rainbow-coloured hymns

Where milky-silky mist-scarf veils the valley like a bride

And we feel honoured to be guests of summer’s morning-tide

The happiness of hope is brighter on a summer morn

The heart a little lighter between earth and heaven torn

For surely this is holy ground and surely angels tread

In almost-Eden’s paradise (for we still toil for bread)

Ripple of teal and silver wheels across the glossy field

Where we stand on the brink of ink-wells ilk not yet revealed

Save for the tender splendor where pink tremors on the east

Expand until the land is like a panoramic feast

The wild grass waves its banner over graves of yester-year

Hollows, heavy with slumber yawn as shadows disappear

Where the plush hush before the rush of toil draws us to kneel

Where summer morning is as close to God as man can steal

© Janet Martin

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
    his mercies never come to an end;  
they are new every morning;
 great is your faithfulness.
Lam.3:22-23