O place of happy pains,
And land of dear desires!
Where Love divine detains
Glad souls among sweet fires.
Where sweet, white fires embrace
The red-scarred, red-stained soul:
That it may see God's Face,
Perfectly white and whole.
While with still hope they bear
Those ardent agonies:
Earth pleads for them, in prayer
And wistful charities.
O place of patient pains,
And land of brave desires!
Us now God's Will detains
Far from those holy fires.
Us the sad world rings round
With passionate flames impure:
We tread an impious ground,
And hunger, and endure:
That, earth's ordeal done,
Those white, sweet fires may fit
Us for our home, and One,
Who is the Light of it.
1892.