Poems; original and translated by Charles Rann Kennedy ... and Two Poems by the Rev. Rann Kennedy. New Edition. By Charles Rann Kennedy |
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THOUGHT AND DEED. |
 | Poems; original and translated |  |
47
THOUGHT AND DEED.
Full many a light thought man may cherish,
Full many an idle deed may do;
Yet not a deed or thought shall perish,
Not one but he shall bless or rue.
Full many an idle deed may do;
Yet not a deed or thought shall perish,
Not one but he shall bless or rue.
When by the wind the tree is shaken,
There's not a bough or leaf can fall,
But of its falling heed is taken
By One that sees and governs all.
There's not a bough or leaf can fall,
But of its falling heed is taken
By One that sees and governs all.
The tree may fall and be forgotten,
And buried in the earth remain;
Yet from its juices rank and rotten
Springs vegetating life again.
And buried in the earth remain;
Yet from its juices rank and rotten
Springs vegetating life again.
The world is with creation teeming,
And nothing ever wholly dies,
And things, that are destroyed in seeming,
In other shapes and forms arise.
And nothing ever wholly dies,
And things, that are destroyed in seeming,
In other shapes and forms arise.
And nature still unfolds the tissue
Of unseen works by spirit wrought;
And not a work, but hath its issue
With blessing or with evil fraught.
Of unseen works by spirit wrought;
And not a work, but hath its issue
With blessing or with evil fraught.
48
And thou may'st seem to leave behind thee
All memory of the sinful past;
Yet oh, be sure, thy sin shall find thee,
And thou shalt know its fruits at last.
All memory of the sinful past;
Yet oh, be sure, thy sin shall find thee,
And thou shalt know its fruits at last.
| Poems; original and translated | |