 | [Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary |  |
THE CRY OF THE HEART AND FLESH.
When her mind was sore bewildered,
And her feet were gone astray,
When she saw no fiery column,
And no cloud before her way,—
Then, with earnest supplication.
To the mighty One she prayed,
“Thou for whom we were created,
And by whom the worlds were made,—
By thy pity for our weakness,
By thy wisdom and thy might,
Son of God, Divine Redeemer!
Guide and keep me in the right!”
And her feet were gone astray,
When she saw no fiery column,
And no cloud before her way,—
Then, with earnest supplication.
To the mighty One she prayed,
“Thou for whom we were created,
And by whom the worlds were made,—
By thy pity for our weakness,
By thy wisdom and thy might,
Son of God, Divine Redeemer!
Guide and keep me in the right!”
When Faith had broke her moorings,
And upon a sea of doubt,
Her soul with fear and darkness
Was encompassed round about;
Then she said, “O Elder Brother!
By thy human nature, when
Thou wert made to be in all things
Like unto the sons of men:
By the hour of thy temptation,
By thy one forsaken cry,
Son of God and man! have mercy,
Send thy light down from on high!”
And upon a sea of doubt,
Her soul with fear and darkness
Was encompassed round about;
Then she said, “O Elder Brother!
By thy human nature, when
Thou wert made to be in all things
Like unto the sons of men:
By the hour of thy temptation,
By thy one forsaken cry,
Son of God and man! have mercy,
Send thy light down from on high!”
When her very heart was broken.
Bearing more than it could bear.
Then she clasped her anguish, crying,
In her passionate despair,—
“Thou who wert beloved of women,
And who gav'st them love again,
By the strength of thine affection,
By its rapture and its pain,
Son of God and Son of woman!
Lo! 't is now the eventide!
Come from heaven, O sacred lover!
With thine handmaid to abide:
Come down as the bridegroom cometh
From his chamber to the bride!”
Bearing more than it could bear.
Then she clasped her anguish, crying,
In her passionate despair,—
“Thou who wert beloved of women,
And who gav'st them love again,
By the strength of thine affection,
By its rapture and its pain,
Son of God and Son of woman!
Lo! 't is now the eventide!
Come from heaven, O sacred lover!
With thine handmaid to abide:
Come down as the bridegroom cometh
From his chamber to the bride!”
| [Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary | |