The Soul of the City Receives the Gift of the Holy Spirit

Vachel Lindsay 1879 (Springfield) – 1931 (Springfield)



A BROADSIDE DISTRIBUTED IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

Censers are swinging,
Over the town;
Censers are swinging,
Look overhead!
Censers are swinging,
Heaven comes down.
City, dead city,
Awake from the dead!

Censers, tremendous,
Gleam overhead.
Wind-harps are ringing,
Wind-harps unseen—
Calling and calling:—
"Wake from the dead.
Rise, little city,
Shine like a queen."

Soldiers of Christ
For battle grow keen.
Heaven-sent winds
Haunt alley and lane.
Singing of life
In town-meadows green
After the toil
And battle and pain.

Incense is pouring
Like the spring rain
Down on the mob
That moil through the street.
Blessed are they
Who behold it and gain
Power made more mighty
Thro' every defeat.

Builders, toil on.
Make all complete.
Make Springfield wonderful.
Make her renown
Worthy this day,
Till, at God's feet,
Tranced, saved forever,
Waits the white town.

Censers are swinging
Over the town,
Censers gigantic!
Look overhead!
Hear the winds singing:—
"Heaven comes down.
City, dead city,
Awake from the dead."

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

49 sec read
107

Quick analysis:

Scheme x ABACABDC xcaeacde xexfxexf afxghfdg xgxbhgxb ABxCaBDC
Closest metre Iambic dimeter
Characters 973
Words 166
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 1, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Vachel Lindsay

Nicholas Vachel Lindsay was an American poet. more…

All Vachel Lindsay poems | Vachel Lindsay Books

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