O Thou who once on earth beneath the weight
Of our mortality didst live and move,
The incarnation of profoundest love;
Who on the Cross that love didst consummate,
Whose deep and ample fullness could embrace
The poorest, meanest of our...
THE sparkling eye that ruled the heart
Hath lost its magic beam,
And in the socket, heavily,
Like warning lamp doth gleam.
The wearied ear remits its toil,
Rejects the music-strain,
And with the folly of the world
No longer loads the brain.
...
The wind got up moaning, and blew to a breeze;
I sat with my face closely pressed on the pane;
In a minute or two it began to rain,
And put out the sunset-fire in the trees.
In the clouds' black faces broke out dismay
That ran of a sudden up half the sky,
And the team, cutting...
I
HE was a Grecian lad, who coming home
With pulpy figs and wine from Sicily
Stood at his galley's prow, and let the foam
Blow through his crisp brown curls unconsciously,
And holding wave and wind in boy's despite
Peered from his dripping seat across the wet and stormy night.
...
"WHAT shall I render Thee! Father Supreme,
For thy rich gifts, and this the best of all?"
Said a young mother, as she fondly watched
Her sleeping babe.
There was an answering voice
That night in dreams.
"Thou hast a little bud
Wrapt in...
The Paint-King, envious of his cunning art,
To him the tinted palette would not lend;
So has he dipped the pencil in his heart,
And with his light and shade its hues still blend.
These were my companions going forth by night —
(For Chil! Look you, for Chil!)
Now come I to whistle them the ending of the fight.
(Chil! Vanguards of Chil!}
Word they gave me overhead of quarry newly slain,
Word I gave them underfoot of buck upon the plain.
Here's an end of every...
LORD, lead my heart to learn;
Prepare my ears to hear;
And let me useful knowledge seek,
In thy most holy fear.
If unforgiven sin
Within my bosom lies,
Or evil motives linger there
T' offend thy perfect eyes,—
Remove them...
The Chimney Sweeper [1]
A little black thing among the snow
Crying "'weep, 'weep!" in notes of woe.
"Where are thy father & mother? say?"
"They are both gone up to the church to pray.
"Because I was happy upon the heath,...
If heaven the grateful liberty would give
That I might choose my method how to live,
And all those hours propitious fate should lend,
In blissful ease and satisfaction spend:
Near some fair town I'd have a private seat,
Built uniform, not little, nor too great:
Better if on a rising ground it stood;...