Poems with Power to Strengthen the Soul Part 49

--George Herbert.

Why fret thee, soul, For things beyond thy small control?

But do thy part, and thou shalt see Heaven will have charge of them and thee.

Sow then thy seed, and wait in peace The Lord's increase.

What is the use of worrying And flurrying and scurrying And breaking up one's rest; When all the world is teaching us And praying and beseeching us That quiet ways are best.

I feel within me A peace above all earthly dignities A still and quiet conscience.

--William Shakespeare.

The stormy blast is strong, but mightier still The calm that binds the storm beneath its peaceful will.

--John Sterling.

As running water cleanseth bodies dropped therein So heavenly truth doth cleanse the secret heart from sin.

--From the Sanskrit, tr. by Frederic Rowland Marvin.

From our ill-ordered hearts we oft are fain to roam, As men go forth who find unquietness at home.

--Richard Chenevix Trench.

A mind from every evil thought set free I count the n.o.blest gift of Deity.

--aeschylus, tr. by Frederic Rowland Marvin.

A stone makes not great rivers turbid grow; When saints are vexed their shallowness they show.

--Saadi.

Yes, Lord, one great eternal yes To all my Lord shall say; To what I know, or yet shall know, In all the untried way.

Good striving Brings thriving.

Better a dog who works Than a lion who s.h.i.+rks.

--From the Persian.

HUMILITY

MEEKNESS, WEAKNESS, SELFLESSNESS

A LAST PRAYER

Father, I scarcely dare to pray, So clear I see, now it is done, That I have wasted half my day And left my work but just begun.

So clear I see that things I thought Were right, or harmless, were a sin; So clear I see that I have sought Unconscious, selfish aims to win;

So clear I see that I have hurt The souls I might have helped to save; That I have slothful been, inert, Deaf to the calls Thy leaders gave.

In outskirts of thy kingdom vast, Father, the humblest spot give me; Set me the lowliest task thou hast; Let me, repentant, work for thee.

--Helen Hunt Jackson.

A LOWLY HEART

Thy home is with the humble, Lord!

The simplest are the best, Thy lodging is in childlike hearts: Thou makest there thy rest.

Dear Comforter! Eternal Love!

If thou wilt stay with me, Of lowly thoughts and simple ways I'll build a house for thee.

Who made this beating heart of mine But Thou, my heavenly guest?

Let no one have it, then, but thee, And let it be thy rest.

--Lyra Catholica.

Before the eyes of men let duly s.h.i.+ne thy light, But ever let thy life's best part be out of sight.

--Richard Chenevix Trench.

KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM

I.

The Man who Loved the Names of Things Went forth beneath the skies And named all things that he beheld, And people called him wise.

An unseen presence walked with him Forever by his side, The wedded mistress of his soul-- For Knowledge was his bride; She named the flowers, the weeds, the trees, And all the growths of all the seas.

She told him all the rocks by name, The winds and whence they blew; She told him how the seas were formed, And how the mountains grew.

She numbered all the stars for him; And all the rounded skies Were mapped and charted for the gaze Of his devouring eyes.

Thus, taught by her, he taught the crowd; They praised--and he was very proud.