What Then?

1 After the joys of earth,
After its songs of mirth,
After its hours of light,
After its dreams so bright,
What then? Only an empty name,
Only a weary frame,
Only a conscious smart,
Only an aching heart.

2 After an empty name,
After a weary frame,
After this conscious smart,
After an aching heart,
What then? Only a sad farewell
To a world lov’d too well,
Only a silent bed,
With the forgotten dead.

3 After this sad farewell,
To a world loved too well,
After this silent bed,
With the forgotten dead,
What then? Oh! then the judgment throne,
Oh! then the last hope gone,
Then all the woes that dwell
In an eternal hell!

Source: Triumphant Songs No.3 #162