The Royal feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: “Sir Fool,
Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!”
The jester doffed his cap and bells,
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.
He bowed his head, and bent his...
On the isle of Penikese,
Ringed about by sapphire seas,
Fanned by breezes salt and cool,
Stood the Master with his school.
Over sails that not in vain
Wooed the west-wind’s steady strain,
Line of coast that low and far
Stretched its undulating bar,
Wings aslant along the rim
Of the waves they stooped to skim,
Rock...
[1861]
i.
before Thy Throne we bow:
O God, our shield be Thou
From Treason’s rage!
In faith we look to Thee,
Our strength in Heav’n we see,
Defender of the free,
In ev’ry age.
II.
Our follies we confess:
O God, forgive and bless!
Let Mercy’s light
Illumine this dark hour,
...
Father of all! in every age,
In every clime adored,
By saint, by savage, and by sage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!
Thou great First Cause, least understood,
Who all my sense confined
To know but this, that thou art good,
And that myself am blind;
Yet gave me, in this dark estate,
To see the good from ill;
...
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...
Prayer may be sweet in cottage homes,
Where sire and child devoutly kneel,
While through the open casement nigh
The vernal blossoms firagrant steal.
Prayer may be sweet in stately halls.
Where heart with kindred heart is blent,
And upward to th' eternal throne
The hymn...
My period had come for Prayer —
No other Art — would do —
My Tactics missed a rudiment —
Creator — Was it you?
God grows above — so those who pray
Horizons — must ascend —
And so I stepped upon the North
To see this Curious Friend —
His House was not — no sign had He...
Prayer is the little implement
Through which Men reach
Where Presence — is denied them.
They fling their Speech
By means of it — in God's Ear —
If then He hear —
This sums the Apparatus
Comprised in Prayer —
Father of all! In every age,
In ev'ry clime ador'd,
By saint, by savage, and by sage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!
Thou Great First Cause, least understood,
Who all my sense confin'd
To know but this, that...
