 | [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes |  |
LIFE IS NOT VANITY.
Are ye not erring teachers
Who tell us, that below
There is no sparkling fountain
Where living waters flow;
That all earth's well-springs bubble up
With bitter drops of woe?
Who tell us, that below
There is no sparkling fountain
Where living waters flow;
That all earth's well-springs bubble up
With bitter drops of woe?
That life 's a night of darkness,
With scarce a cheering star,—
That we cannot make our trials
Less bitter than they are,—
That we should think of Heaven alone,
And Heaven itself is far.
With scarce a cheering star,—
That we cannot make our trials
Less bitter than they are,—
That we should think of Heaven alone,
And Heaven itself is far.
No marvel earth is dark to you
Who thus in shadows keep,—
That you cannot see the day-spring
When you close your eyes and sleep;
Or that earth is but a vale of tears
For you who sit and weep.
Who thus in shadows keep,—
That you cannot see the day-spring
When you close your eyes and sleep;
Or that earth is but a vale of tears
For you who sit and weep.
You tell us of the happiness
Of the unchanging sphere,
Because the loved and loving there
To bless us will be near;
If that be heaven, what hinders us
To make a heaven here?
Of the unchanging sphere,
Because the loved and loving there
To bless us will be near;
379
To make a heaven here?
Oh, would we rouse from slumber,
Life hath something to be done;
We may lose the prize by faltering,
Which exertion might have won;
And when we strive to help ourselves,
The Lord will aid us on.
Life hath something to be done;
We may lose the prize by faltering,
Which exertion might have won;
And when we strive to help ourselves,
The Lord will aid us on.
And if we be immortal,
As we believe and know,
Then is the life eternal
Begun in life below;
And hath it been ordained by heaven,
That it should be in woe?
As we believe and know,
Then is the life eternal
Begun in life below;
And hath it been ordained by heaven,
That it should be in woe?
No! and though trailing shadows
O'er our pathway sometimes move,
Yet below, as in the life to come,
All things are ruled in love,
And God will bless as willingly
As he will do above!
O'er our pathway sometimes move,
Yet below, as in the life to come,
All things are ruled in love,
And God will bless as willingly
As he will do above!
And if we cheer life's marches,
And smooth the path beneath,
If we labor for advancement
With a true and earnest faith;
We shall stand prepared for lengthened years,
Or for the call of death!
And smooth the path beneath,
If we labor for advancement
With a true and earnest faith;
We shall stand prepared for lengthened years,
Or for the call of death!
| [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes | |