Shadow and Light

Cease, empty Faith, the Spectrum saith,     I was, and lo, have been;     I, God, am nought: a shade of thought,     Which, but by darkness seen,     Upon the unknown yourselves have thrown,     Placed it and light between.     At mornings birth on darkened earth,     And as the evening sinks,     Awfully vast abroad is cast     The lengthened form that shrinks     And shuns the sight in midday light,     And underneath you slinks.     From barren strands of wintry lands     Across the seas of time,     Borne onward fast ye touch at last     An equatorial clime;     In equatorial noon sublime     At zenith stands the sun,     And lo, around, far, near, are found     Yourselves, and Shadow none.     A moment! yea! but when the day     At length was perfect day!     A moment! so! and light we know     With dark exchanges aye,     Nor morn nor eve shall shadow leave     Your sunny paths secure,     And in your sight that orb of light     Shall humbler orbs obscure.     And yet withal, tis shadow all     Whateer your fancies dream,     And I (misdeemed) that was, that seemed,     Am not, whateer I seem.