Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

POETRY.

-

LINES

SUGGESTED BY READING THE MOTTO
"THIS TOO SHALL PASS AWAY."

Doth sorrow fill thy soul?

Do thunder clouds obscure thy once bright sky,
Chasing away all calm serenity

In their wild uncontrol?

Child of the earth, bend low thy knee and pray,
Deep may thy woe be, but 'twill "pass away."
Hath the friend proved unkind

Whom thou hast loved and trusted fearlessly?
Hath he repaid that love with treachery?
And art thou unresigned?

Child of the earth, time shall thy grief allay,
Deep may thy woe be, but 'twill "pass away."
To pain and sickness bow

In anguish down thy weary, aching head?
Doth burning fever restless make thy bed?
"Twill not be ever so;

Child of the earth, thou wilt not always stay,
Deep may thy woe be, but 'twill "pass away."
And oh ! if gladness fill

Thy spirit with its brightness, hush thy joy:
Forget not thou, time may thy mirth destroy,
And scenes of gloom and ill

Usurp its place. Yet in thine onward way
Let the thought cheer thee, it "shall pass away."
ANNIE WHITE.

Farnham.

RUTH AND NAOMI.

Entreat me not

To leave thee, mother! for I fain would stay
By thy loved side-earth has no other spot
To me so dear, I cannot go away.

Let me then keep

My wonted place, and I will follow thee-
My mother, dry thy tears and do not weep,
Thy people and thy home, mine own shall be.

I cannot go,

Oh, let me share with thee, thy future lot;

"Thy God shall be my God;" I will not know
Another, cease, oh cease then; urge me not.

For I will die

With thee; and would that I might lay my head
Within thy grave! But nought beneath the sky
Shall part us living, who must part when dead.
ANNIE WHITE.

Farnham.

"

WE WANT NO WAR.

BY JOHN SWAIN.

Prepare for war," a warrior cried,
Echo, "prepare for war," replied;
And, as it happens when a stone
Into a quiet lake is thrown,

That circling wavelets rise and glide
Towards the shore, on every side;
So through the nation, near and far,
Forth went the word "Prepare for war."

As, having stirr'd the lake's still breast,
Rapidly sinks the stone to rest;
And as the little tumult o'er-
Prevails the quiet as before;

So downward went the warrior's word,—
So little was the nation stirr'd;

Save that a sound rose, near and far,

Earnest and firm, "We want no war!"

"We want no war! why should the world
Into that lion's den be hurl'd?

Why should the dark plagues of the past
Be o'er us like cold night-clouds cast?
Why rouse the tiger from his lair,
With startling shout, 'for war prepare?'
Why drown in seas of blood and tears
The peace of three and thirty years!

"Let the dark deeds of sword and flame,
The tales of other times proclaim;
Henceforth let war's accursed blaze
Gleam only in departed days;

Then shall earth mount to heights sublime,
As onward sweeps the car of time;
And leave behind, far-distant far,
The evil days-the days of war."

NUNC DIMITTIS.

Now would I go; mine eyes have seen
Thy great salvation, Lord!

And I would fain "depart in peace

According to thy word."

Now would I go; to those bright realms ascending
Beyond the "pearly gates," to dwell with Thee:
My songs triumphantly with angels blending
Throughout a long and blest eternity.
Now would I go; mine eyes have seen
The glorious shining light,

Which thou hast graciously prepared

To cheer thy people's sight.

Now would I go; my flight 'mid seraphs winging

Up to Thy throne, the Blessed Mercy Seat,
And with a golden harp for ever ringing,
Rest there in glory at my Saviour's feet.

Farnham

ANNIE WHITE.

FLOWERS OF THE OCEAN.

CALL us not weeds-we are flowers of the sea;
For lovely, and bright, and gay-tinted are we,
Our blush is as deep as the rose of thy bowers;
Then call us not weeds-we are Ocean's gay flowers.

;

Not nursed like the plants of a summer parterre,
When gales are but sighs of an evening air
Our exquisite, fragile, and delicate forms
Are nursed by the ocean, and rocked by its storms.

E. L. AVELINE.

[merged small][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]
« ZurückWeiter »