The sun appeared to linger long and low
Upon the western sea of clouds that day,
And for a moment draw the soul away
To sacred places only spirits know—
Where from some source of beauty, seem to flow
Eternal mysteries of things unseen,
That somehow we can briefly glimpse between
This light, and shadow world where all things go;
And it seemed as if my soul could be
If but for that one moment, truly free!

And I dreamed deep and long, as the last light
Was fading in the darkening, peaceful blue,
And thought I felt a presence that I knew,
As overhead there soared in westward flight,
A bird, whose wings against the sky shone bright,
As if the memory of its joyous day
Were living still, like light to guide the way
To its home in the dark, eternal night;
And I thought of the souls that I have known
That into that dark, silent night have flown.

As the last wisps of cloud, like silvery hair,
Hung where the sun had died, as if to mourn,
One by one, it seemed that there were born
The stars which soon adorned the crystalline air,
Like happy souls which glimmered everywhere!
And were like a glimpse of what may be
In that world we can not hear or see,
But even as we sleep, is always there;
And I knew in that hour a soul had passed,
And told my soul that it was home at last.

—August, 2009

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politics—we approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.

We hope you will join us in The Imaginative Conservative community. The Imaginative Conservative is an online journal for those who seek the True, the Good and the Beautiful. We address culture, liberal learning, politics, political economy, literature, the arts, and the American Republic in the tradition of Russell Kirk, T.S. Eliot, Edmund Burke, Irving Babbitt, Wilhelm Roepke, Robert Nisbet, Richard Weaver, M.E. Bradford, Eric Voegelin, Christopher Dawson, Paul Elmer More, and other leaders of Imaginative Conservatism. Some conservatives may look at the state of Western culture and the American Republic and see a huge dark cloud which seems ready to unleash a storm that may well wash away what we most treasure of our inherited ways. Others focus on the silver lining which may be found in the next generation of traditional conservatives who have been inspired by Dr. Kirk and his like. We hope that The Imaginative Conservative answers T.S. Eliot’s call to “redeem the time, redeem the dream.” The Imaginative Conservative offers to our families, our communities, and the Republic, a conservatism of hope, grace, charity, gratitude, and prayer.

The featured image is “Twilight in the Wilderness” (1860) by Frederic Edwin Church (1826-1900), courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

All comments are moderated and must be civil, concise, and constructive to the conversation. Comments that are critical of an essay may be approved, but comments containing ad hominem criticism of the author will not be published. Also, comments containing web links or block quotations are unlikely to be approved. Keep in mind that essays represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Imaginative Conservative or its editor or publisher.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email