Rudyard Kipling

She did not know that she was dead,
  But, when the pang was o'er,
Sat down to wait her Master's tread
  Upon the Golden Floor,

With ears full-cock and anxious eye
  Impatiently resigned;
But ignorant that Paradise
  Did not admit her kind.

Persons with Haloes, Harps, and Wings
  Assembled and reproved;
Or talked to her of Heavenly things,
  But Dinah never moved.

There was one step along the Stair
  That led to Heaven's Gate;
And, till she heard it, her affair
  Was--she explained--to wait.

And she explained with flattened ear,
  Bared lip and milky tooth--
Storming against Ithuriel's Spear
  That only proved her truth!

Sudden--far down the Bridge of Ghosts
  That anxious spirits clomb--
She caught that step in all the hosts,
  And knew that he had come.

She left them wondering what to do,
  But not a doubt had she.
Swifter than her own squeal she flew
  Across the Glassy Sea;

Flushing the Cherubs every where,
  And skidding as she ran,
She refuged under Peter's Chair
  And waited for her man.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .       

There spoke a Spirit out of the press,
  'Said:--"Have you any here
That saved a fool from drunkenness,
  And a coward from his fear?

"That turned a soul from dark to day 
  When other help was vain;
That snatched it from Wanhope and made
  A cur a man again?"

"Enter and look," said Peter then,
  And set The Gate ajar.
"If  know aught of women and men
  I trow she is not far."

"Neither by virtue, speech nor art
  Nor hope of grace to win;
But godless innocence of heart
  That never heard of sin:

"Neither by beauty nor belief
  Nor white example shown.
Something a wanton--more a thief--
  But--most of all--mine own."

"Enter and look," said Peter then,
  "And send you well to speed;
But, for all that I know of women and men
  Your riddle is hard to read."

Then flew Dinah from under the Chair,
  Into his arms she flew--
And licked his face from chin to hair
  And Peter passed them through!