After Our Likeness
Ada Cambridge
1844 to 1926
Track 1
Reconstruct the poem by dragging each line into its correct position. Your goal is to reassemble the original poem as accurately as possible. As you move the lines, you'll see whether your arrangement is correct, helping you explore the poem's flow and meaning. You can also print out the jumbled poem to cut up and reassemble in the classroom. Either way, take your time, enjoy the process, and discover how the poet's words come together to create something truly beautiful.
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Fair, oval, broad-brow'd face—small, delicate head—
The light wherein the little features shine,
I think most of the day when I shall see
They will re-settle in the calm of death,
When the sweet eyes are laid asleep, and when
Its mortal features clothed with the divine.
The mirror clear, unsullied by a breath.
A little shadow of a childish face,
More lovely for the trouble and the tears.
Of thought and wisdom on her lips and eyes.
Transparent skin, with blue veins shining through—
But they will yet re-settle—by-and-by.
When this child's beauty will have all return'd,
Nevermore undefined, and faint, and dim;
Ah! while I look, and trace each tender line,
The heart is hush'd. Truly God's likeness then—
Some day the earthly shadows will be cast
Its passions, its wild longings, and its pain;
They will re-settle in those after-years
By the world's sin and passion undefiled—
Stirred up and troubled like a stormy sea;—
All the soft outlines, beautiful and true,
The dear face in that perfect purity,
This self-same face, but with the image bright,
God's likeness, in the fair face of a child,
In glory and in beauty infinite.
But 'twill be there—the likeness—to the last.
Pictured those glorious lineaments, will be
The pure reflection will shine out again
So far too pure for any words to paint—
Bring me the echo of the words God said.
Some day the lucid waters, in which lie
Strange, mystic light, so undefined and faint,
Across that sunshine—it may be to dim
This self-same face, yet like the face of Him,
Childishly sweet, yet with the dawning grace
When life's hard lessons have been conned and learn'd;
They will re-settle when the soul is still'd,
Made in our image—sure 'tis that we see,
Before me now a little picture lies—
'Tis a reflection of the Face divine.
Ay, as I look, it seems quite plain to me.
Awhile the visible countenance of Him;
When earth's hopes are relinquish'd, unfulfill'd.