Amid the Ranks Angelic, radiantly
Stands Lucifer - the Morning Star is he;
Towering aloft in peerless majesty,
Gracefully glorious - in that entity
Supreme 'mid things created. Such was he
One moment, when the Light of Purity
Revealed his nature's grand nobility;
The next - and all was lost; so great was he,
None would he serve created - rather be
The foe of his Creator. Such is he.
One instant, and the awful brilliancy
Of inwrought Justice graced, by heaven's decree,
The great Archangel; but the next, was he
Thrust from the gates of glory: nor would he
The Light thus spurned reflect eternally.
Then first fell Night on being - visibly
Was Light from darkness separated: see,
The Vision Beatific is to be
The portion of the faithful; victory
Crowns those before whose arms the faithless flee.
Thus was Sin first conceived. Ah, verily,
Sin entered in with Nature; will was free
To choose or to refuse the destiny
For her ordained; by choice alone could she
Attain beatitude- such God's decree.
Created Light now robed His Throne on high,
And darkness fled: the Angel cannot die,
Nor be annihilate: his death would be
A never-ending dying. Then would he,
As Prince of Darkness, everlastingly
War wage with Him who should the Master be.
His counsels he would foil; unweariedly
Would he God's creatures persecute; would see
No light but he would darken it; and be
God s enemy and man's, eternally.
- text taken from Mary: The Perfect Woman, by Emily Mary Shapcote