Composed as an encouragement to a sister whose husband had passed.

Great Monarch! whom the nations fear!
Millions are yielding to thy sway;
No friend so true, no tie so dear,
But thy rude hand shall rend away.

But faith defies thy cruel power,
For conquered by the King of Kings,
Already are thy captive free,
And shout, O Death! where is thy sting!

O Grave! how empty is thy boast,
Since in thy narrow precincts lay,
The Prince of Light, the Lord of Hosts,
Who took thy terrors all away.

Thus while our brother tranquil lay
Waiting in peace his Father’s hand,
Which seem’d to draw the veil away,
His faith beheld the better land.

The mystic building cheer’d his view,
The cap-stone too with joy they bring;
And show him beauties old and new,
Out of the treasures of his King.

For he who is a tower of Strength,
Revealed to him a refuge there,
And call’d him to repose at length,
Where ransom’d souls in glory are.

While we, dear kindred, silent sit,
And tearfully gaze toward his home;
Why should we yield to vain regret?
For our release will quickly come.

Dear partner of his earthly years,
Soon shall you reach his glorious home;
His path is bright, his God is near,
Whose love shall light you through the gloom.

Hence, tempting world, your fleeting joys,
Like Sodom’s ashes melt away;
One glimpse of heaven your light destroys,
And brings us to the opening day.

Away ye troublers, come not near
The presence chamber of my God;
One smile from him is far more dear
Then ages of your boasted good.

Author: Delia D. Piper
Logan Co., Illinois, 1858

Signs of the Times
Volume 27, Number 3; February 1, 1859

Below are the songs that were made from the poem using AI. They are identified
by the genre of the music in paranthesis.