 | [Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary |  |
TWICE SMITTEN.
O doubly-bowed and bruisèd reed,
What can I offer in thy need?
What can I offer in thy need?
O heart, twice broken with its grief,
What words of mine can bring relief?
What words of mine can bring relief?
O soul, o'erwhelmed with woe again,
How can I soothe thy bitter pain?
How can I soothe thy bitter pain?
Abashed and still, I stand and see
Thy sorrow's awful majesty.
Thy sorrow's awful majesty.
Only dumb silence may convey
That which my lip can never say.
That which my lip can never say.
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I cannot comfort thee at all;
On the Great Comforter I call;
On the Great Comforter I call;
Praying that He may make thee see
How near He hath been drawn to thee.
How near He hath been drawn to thee.
For unto man the angel guest
Still comes through gates of suffering best;
Still comes through gates of suffering best;
And most our Heavenly Father cares
For whom He smites, not whom He spares.
For whom He smites, not whom He spares.
So, to his chastening meekly bow,
Thou art of his beloved now!
Thou art of his beloved now!
| [Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary | |