 | Poems Old and New by Charles D. Bell |  |
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE?
Man's life is but a shadowy, fleeting vapour,
That quickly melts and vanishes away;
'Tis like a cloud which gathers in the morning,
And passes, ere dawn deepens into day.
That quickly melts and vanishes away;
'Tis like a cloud which gathers in the morning,
And passes, ere dawn deepens into day.
But shall this thought bring with it any sorrow,
Or fill our hearts with a regretful grief?
Shall it cast shadow on the coming morrow,
To know this human life is all so brief?
Or fill our hearts with a regretful grief?
Shall it cast shadow on the coming morrow,
To know this human life is all so brief?
What! shall we idly fold our hands before us,
Mourning the stern, inexorable doom?
Or shall we spend our days in pining sadness,
Because we hasten surely to the tomb?
Mourning the stern, inexorable doom?
Or shall we spend our days in pining sadness,
Because we hasten surely to the tomb?
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What! shall we grow all mad and wild and reckless,
Ready to utter this despairing cry:
“Let's take our ease, eat, drink, and be merry,
For on the morrow we are sure to die”?
Ready to utter this despairing cry:
“Let's take our ease, eat, drink, and be merry,
For on the morrow we are sure to die”?
No, never! For the thought will rather urge us,
To work with both hands earnestly for God!
We will be up and doing in His service,
If all so soon we lie beneath the sod.
To work with both hands earnestly for God!
We will be up and doing in His service,
If all so soon we lie beneath the sod.
A vapour! Yes; but let us all remember,
The vapour gives its beauty to the air;
It drapes the skies in crimson, blue, and amber,
And shapes itself in cloudlets bright and fair.
The vapour gives its beauty to the air;
It drapes the skies in crimson, blue, and amber,
And shapes itself in cloudlets bright and fair.
Then we will turn our brief life to a glory,
And make it beautiful with deeds of love;
Yes, we will steep it in the dyes of heaven,
And colour it with light caught from above.
And make it beautiful with deeds of love;
Yes, we will steep it in the dyes of heaven,
And colour it with light caught from above.
A vapour! Yes; but 'tis not therefore worthless;
Vapour condensed is changed into the steam
Which sends the vessel o'er the trackless ocean,
And drives with speed the sounding iron team.
Vapour condensed is changed into the steam
Which sends the vessel o'er the trackless ocean,
And drives with speed the sounding iron team.
If life be brief, we will be more in earnest,
And work for God with all our soul and might;
Running with girded loins the race before us,
Fighting with all our strength the noble fight.
And work for God with all our soul and might;
Running with girded loins the race before us,
Fighting with all our strength the noble fight.
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So when to heaven is drawn the earthly vapour,
And we are called to stand before the throne,
The Master's smile shall form our happy guerdon,
And we shall hear Him say, “Well done! Well done!”
And we are called to stand before the throne,
The Master's smile shall form our happy guerdon,
And we shall hear Him say, “Well done! Well done!”
| Poems Old and New by Charles D. Bell | |