 | From Sunset Ridge |  |
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DEDICATORY POEM FOR THE KINDERGARTEN FOR THE BLIND
NATURE
Nature, from wintry sleep awake,
Her icy armor doth forsake;
As her swift currents start again,
The Easter anthems sound amen;
And lilies, white as angel's wing,
Herald the beauty of the spring.
Her icy armor doth forsake;
As her swift currents start again,
The Easter anthems sound amen;
And lilies, white as angel's wing,
Herald the beauty of the spring.
Now Spring should make all creatures glad,
With promise she has ever had,
With message, told in perfumed breath,
Of resurrection conquering death;
But her delights of form and hue
Our sightless children never knew.
With promise she has ever had,
With message, told in perfumed breath,
Of resurrection conquering death;
But her delights of form and hue
Our sightless children never knew.
Only with wondering thought they hear
Rehearsed the glories of the year,
And dimly seek their doubtful way
Untutored by the smile of day;
While we, the prodigals of light,
Grow careless of the boon of sight.
Dread fate, in solitude to sit,
Unconscious of the clouds that flit
Beholding ne'er the rose of dawn,
Nor sunset's varied hues withdrawn,
Nor stars with which, above, around,
The majesty of night is crowned.
Rehearsed the glories of the year,
And dimly seek their doubtful way
Untutored by the smile of day;
While we, the prodigals of light,
Grow careless of the boon of sight.
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Unconscious of the clouds that flit
Beholding ne'er the rose of dawn,
Nor sunset's varied hues withdrawn,
Nor stars with which, above, around,
The majesty of night is crowned.
But Heaven, that sees this painful doom,
Has still some flower of choicest bloom,
Has still some gem of priceless worth
For these inheritors of earth.
Has still some flower of choicest bloom,
Has still some gem of priceless worth
For these inheritors of earth.
For them may Wisdom spread her page,
Bequeathing wealth from age to age;
To them make known, in time and place,
The great exemplars of our race.
Its heroes shall their courage raise;
Its saints inspire their prayer and praise;
Its music join their happy bands;
Its skill instruct their tender hands.
Bequeathing wealth from age to age;
To them make known, in time and place,
The great exemplars of our race.
Its heroes shall their courage raise;
Its saints inspire their prayer and praise;
Its music join their happy bands;
Its skill instruct their tender hands.
We plant this field, to God most dear,
In the sweet spring of childhood's year;
Aid us, good neighbors, in our need,
To sow it with immortal seed.
In the sweet spring of childhood's year;
Aid us, good neighbors, in our need,
To sow it with immortal seed.
We do not know, we cannot guess,
What harvesting of blessedness,
Of docile heart and thoughtful mind,
Good husbandry may reap and bind;
But well we deem that in the height
Where governs the supernal light,
Joy shall reward the service wrought,
Pay tenfold back the tribute brought,
And with our sheaves your names shall be
Bound in God's golden granary.
What harvesting of blessedness,
Of docile heart and thoughtful mind,
Good husbandry may reap and bind;
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Where governs the supernal light,
Joy shall reward the service wrought,
Pay tenfold back the tribute brought,
And with our sheaves your names shall be
Bound in God's golden granary.
| From Sunset Ridge | |