After Our Likeness

Before me now a little picture lies-

A little shadow of a childish face,

Childishly sweet, yet with the dawning grace

Of thought and wisdom on her lips and eyes.

Fair, oval, broad-brow’d face-small, delicate head-

Transparent skin, with blue veins shining through-

All the soft outlines, beautiful and true,

Bring me the echo of the words “God said.”

Made “in our image”-sure ’tis that we see,

God’s likeness, in the fair face of a child,

By the world’s sin and passion undefiled-

Ay, as I look, it seems quite plain to me.

The light wherein the little features shine,

Strange, mystic light, so undefined and faint,

So far too pure for any words to paint-

‘Tis a reflection of the Face divine.

Some day the earthly shadows will be cast

Across that sunshine-it may be to dim

Awhile the visible countenance of Him;

But ’twill be there-the likeness-to the last.

Some day the lucid waters, in which lie

Pictured those glorious lineaments, will be

Stirred up and troubled like a stormy sea;-

But they will yet re-settle-by-and-by.

They will re-settle when the soul is still’d,

Its passions, its wild longings, and its pain;

The pure reflection will shine out again

When earth’s hopes are relinquish’d, unfulfill’d.

They will re-settle in those after-years

When life’s hard lessons have been conned and learn’d;

When this child’s beauty will have all return’d,

More lovely for the trouble and the tears.

They will re-settle in the calm of death,

When the sweet eyes are laid asleep, and when

The heart is hush’d. Truly God’s likeness then-

The mirror clear, unsullied by a breath.

Ah! while I look, and trace each tender line,

I think most of the day when I shall see

The dear face in that perfect purity,

Its mortal features clothed with the divine.

This self-same face, but with the image bright,

Nevermore undefined, and faint, and dim;

This self-same face, yet like the face of Him,

In glory and in beauty infinite.

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Poems in English 

• Robert Burns: My Lord A-Hunting: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: The Bonie Moor-Hen: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Prologue: Spoken by Mr. Woods on his benefit-night, Monday, 16th April, 1787 by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Verses Intended To Be Written Below A Noble Earl’s Picture: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Epistle To Mrs. Scott: Gudewife of Wauchope-House, Roxburghshire. by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Inscription For The Headstone Of Fergusson The Poet: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Extempore In The Court Of Session: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Bonie Dundee: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Rattlin’, Roarin’ Willie: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Mr. William Smellie -A Sketch: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: To Miss Logan, With Beattie’s Poems, For A New-Year’s Gift, Jan. 1, 1787: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Address To A Haggis: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Address To Edinburgh: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Yon Wild Mossy Mountains: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: A Winter Night : by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: On Sensibility: Fragment by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Epistle To Major Logan: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Tam Samson’s Elegy: When this worthy old sportman went out, last muirfowl season, he supposed it was to be, in Ossian’s phrase, “the last of his fields,” and expressed an ardent wish to die and be buried in the muirs. On this hint the author composed his elegy and epitaph.-R.B., 1787. by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Composed In Spring: by Robert Burns
• Robert Burns: Inscribed On A Work Of Hannah More’s: Presented to the Author by a Lady. by Robert Burns

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