 | Songs of Religion and Life |  |
186
A Song of Three Words.
ORARE, LABORARE, CANTARE.
Three blissful words I name to thee,
Three words of potent charm,
From eating care thy heart to free,
Thy life to shield from harm.
Whoso these blissful words may know
A bold blithe-fronted face shall show,
And shod with peace shall safely go
Through war and wild alarm.
Three words of potent charm,
From eating care thy heart to free,
Thy life to shield from harm.
Whoso these blissful words may know
A bold blithe-fronted face shall show,
And shod with peace shall safely go
Through war and wild alarm.
First ere thy forward foot thou move
And wield thine arm of might,
Lift up thy heart to Him above
That all thy ways be right.
To the prime Source of life and power
Let thy soul rise, even as a flower
That skyward climbs in sunny hour
And seeks the genial light.
And wield thine arm of might,
Lift up thy heart to Him above
That all thy ways be right.
187
Let thy soul rise, even as a flower
That skyward climbs in sunny hour
And seeks the genial light.
Then gird thy loins to manly toil,
And in the toil have joy:
Greet hardship with a forward smile,
And love the stern employ.
Thy glory this the harsh to tame,
And by wise stroke and technic flame
In godlike labour's fruitful name
Old Chaos to destroy.
And in the toil have joy:
Greet hardship with a forward smile,
And love the stern employ.
Thy glory this the harsh to tame,
And by wise stroke and technic flame
In godlike labour's fruitful name
Old Chaos to destroy.
Then 'mid thy workshop's dusty din,
Where Titan steam hath sway,
Croon to thyself a song within,
Or pour the lusty lay;
Even as a bird that cheerly sings
In narrow cage, nor frets his wings,
But with full-breasted joyance flings
His soul into the day.
Where Titan steam hath sway,
Croon to thyself a song within,
Or pour the lusty lay;
188
In narrow cage, nor frets his wings,
But with full-breasted joyance flings
His soul into the day.
For lofty things let others strive
With roll of vauntful drum;
Keep thou thy heart, a honeyed hive,
Like bee with busy hum.
Chase not the bliss with wishful eyes
That ever lures and ever flies,
But in the present joy be wise,
And let the future come!
With roll of vauntful drum;
Keep thou thy heart, a honeyed hive,
Like bee with busy hum.
Chase not the bliss with wishful eyes
That ever lures and ever flies,
But in the present joy be wise,
And let the future come!
| Songs of Religion and Life | |