Poems with Power to Strengthen the Soul Part 73

That never looks but grace to find, Nor seeks for knowledge to be known; That makes a kingdom of his mind, Wherein, with G.o.d, he reigns alone.

This man is great with little state, Lord of the world epitomized, Who with staid front outfaceth Fate And, being empty, is sufficed-- Or is sufficed with little, since (at least) He makes his conscience a continual feast.

--John Davies, of Hereford.

THANKS FOR PAIN

My G.o.d, I thank thee who hast made The earth so bright; So full of splendor and of joy, Beauty and light; So many glorious things are here, n.o.ble and right.

I thank thee, too, that thou hast made Joy to abound; So many gentle thoughts and deeds Circling us round; That in the darkest spot of earth Some love is found.

I thank thee more that all our joy Is touched with pain; That shadows fall on brightest hours; That thorns remain; So that earth's bliss may be our guide And not our chain.

I thank thee, Lord, that thou hast kept The best in store; We have enough, yet not too much, To long for more; A yearning for a deeper peace Not known before.

I thank thee, Lord, that here our souls Though amply blest, Can never find, although they seek, A perfect rest; Nor ever shall until they lean On Jesus' breast.

--Adelaide Anne Procter.

THE RIDICULOUS OPTIMIST

There was once a man who smiled Because the day was bright, Because he slept at night, Because G.o.d gave him sight To gaze upon his child; Because his little one, Could leap and laugh and run; Because the distant sun Smiled on the earth he smiled.

He smiled because the sky Was high above his head, Because the rose was red, Because the past was dead!

He never wondered why The Lord had blundered so That all things have to go The wrong way, here below The overarching sky.

He toiled, and still was glad Because the air was free, Because he loved, and she That claimed his love and he Shared all the joys they had!

Because the gra.s.ses grew, Because the sweet winds blew, Because that he could hew And hammer, he was glad.

Because he lived he smiled, And did not look ahead With bitterness or dread, But nightly sought his bed As calmly as a child.

And people called him mad For being always glad With such things as he had, And shook their heads and smiled.

--Samuel Ellsworth Kiser.

The soul contains a window where It may receive the sun and air, But some with self the window cloy, And shut out all the light and joy.

--Nixon Waterman.

PRAISE

O Thou, whose bounty fills my cup With every blessing meet!

I give thee thanks for every drop-- The bitter and the sweet.

I praise Thee for the desert road, And for the riverside; For all thy goodness hath bestowed, And all thy grace denied.

I thank Thee for both smile and frown, And for the gain and loss; I praise thee for the future crown And for the present cross.

I thank Thee for the wing of love Which stirred my worldly nest; And for the stormy clouds which drove Me, trembling, to thy breast.

I bless Thee for the glad increase, And for the waning joy; And for this strange, this settled peace, Which nothing can destroy.

--Jane Crewdson.

THANKSGIVING

Lord, for the erring thought Not into evil wrought, Lord, for the wicked will, Betrayed and baffled still, For the heart from itself kept, Our thanksgiving accept.

For the ignorant hopes that were Broken to our blind prayer; For pain, death, sorrow, sent Unto our chastis.e.m.e.nt; For all loss of seeming good, Quicken our grat.i.tude.

--William Dean Howells.

RING, HAPPY BELLS

Ring out the grief that saps the mind, For those that here we see no more; Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly-dying cause, And ancient forms of party strife; Ring in the n.o.bler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin, The faithless coldness of the times; Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes, But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease; Ring out the narrowing l.u.s.t of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free, The larger heart, the kindlier hand; Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be.

--Alfred Tennyson.

THE CLEAR VISION

Break forth, my lips, in praise, and own The wiser love severely kind; Since, richer for its chastening grown, I see, whereas I once was blind.

The world, O Father, hath not wronged With loss the life by thee prolonged; But still, with every added year, More beautiful thy works appear.

As thou hast made thy world without, Make thou more fair my world within; s.h.i.+ne through its lingering clouds of doubt; Rebuke its haunting shapes of sin; Fill, brief or long, my granted span Of life with love to thee and man; Strike when thou wilt the hour of rest.

But let my last days be my best.

--John Greenleaf Whittier.

Then let us smile when skies are gray, And laugh at stormy weather!

And sing life's lonesome times away; So--worry and the dreariest day Will find an end together!