Poems with Power to Strengthen the Soul Part 123

We are not angels, but we may Down in earth's corners kneel, And multiply sweet acts of love, And murmur what we feel.

--Frederick William Faber.

Through thee, meseems, the very rose is red, From thee the violet steals its breath in May, From thee draw life all things that grow not gray, And by thy force the happy stars are sped.

--James Russell Lowell.

COME TO US, LORD

Come to us, Lord, as the daylight comes When the darkling night has gone, And the quickened East is tremulous With the thrill of the wakened dawn.

Come to us, Lord, as the tide comes on With the waves from the distant sea; Come, till our desert places smile, And our souls are filled with thee.

There are in this loud, stunning tide Of human care and crime, With whom the melodies abide Of th' everlasting chime!

Who carry music in their heart Through dusky lane and wrangling mart, Plying their daily task with busier feet Because their secret souls a holy strain repeat.

--John Keble.

Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with G.o.d; But only he who sees takes off his shoes.

The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries, And daub their natural faces unaware More and more from the first similitude.

--Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

O Name all other names above, What art thou not to me, Now I have learned to trust thy love And cast my care on thee!

The thought of thee all sorrow calms; Our anxious burdens fall; His crosses turn to triumph palms Who finds in G.o.d his all.

--Frederick Lucian Hosmer.

Far off thou art, but ever nigh, I have thee still, and I rejoice, I prosper circled with thy voice; I shall not lose thee though I die.

--Alfred Tennyson.

Let the Loved One but smile on this poor heart of mine, I will sell the two worlds for one drop of his wine.

--From the Persian.

CONFIDENCE

Thy presence, Lord, the place doth fill, My heart is now thy throne, Thy holy, just and perfect will Now in my flesh is done.

My steadfast soul, from falling free, Doth now no longer rove, For Christ is all the world to me And all my heart is love.

--Charles Wesley, altered by J. M.

Two worlds are ours; 'tis only sin Forbids us to descry The mystic heaven and earth within Plain as the sea and sky.

Thou who hast given me eyes to see And love this sight so fair, Give me a heart to find out thee, And read thee everywhere.

--John Keble.

Speak to him, thou, for he hears, And spirit with spirit can meet; Closer is he than breathing, And nearer than hands and feet.

--Alfred Tennyson.

Heaven above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green, Something lives in every hue Christless eyes have never seen.

Birds with gladder songs o'erflow, Flowers with deeper beauties s.h.i.+ne; Since I knew, as now I know, I am his and he is mine.

Unheard, because our ears are dull, Unseen, because our eyes are dim, He walks the earth, the Wonderful, And all good deeds are done to him.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

Where'er I look one Face alone I see, With every attribute of beauty in it blent; Still, still the G.o.dhead's face entrances me, Yielding transcendency of all that can be spent.

--From the Persian.

IMMANENCE

Not only in the cataract and the thunder Or in the deeps of man's uncharted soul, But in the dew-star dwells alike the wonder And in the whirling dust-mite the control.

--Charles G. D. Roberts.

'Tis greatly wise to talk with our past hours And ask them what report they bore to heaven.

--Edward Young.

A governed heart, thinking no thought but good, Makes crowded houses holy solitude.

--Edwin Arnold.

But where will G.o.d be absent; in his face Is light, and in his shadow healing, too.