 | Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals |  |
Heart Thieves.
I John, 3:18.
There is a band of little thieves,
That often 'round me dart,
And like the wind that takes the leaves,
They steal away my heart.
That often 'round me dart,
And like the wind that takes the leaves,
They steal away my heart.
Sometimes they catch me unawares,
And e'er I get my breath,
The heart is gone, I know not where,
But still I'm not bereft.
And e'er I get my breath,
The heart is gone, I know not where,
But still I'm not bereft.
Sometimes they come when both my eyes,
Are fixed upon them straight,
And all at once to my surprise,
The precious heart they take.
Are fixed upon them straight,
And all at once to my surprise,
The precious heart they take.
Sometimes they come in regiments,
By tens, by fives, by twos,
And sometimes even only one,
But yet the heart is due.
By tens, by fives, by twos,
And sometimes even only one,
But yet the heart is due.
143
No matter when or how they come,
Though I know they are thieves.
The heart's door is always open,
And gladly does receive.
Though I know they are thieves.
The heart's door is always open,
And gladly does receive.
And if they fail to steal my heart,
The heart is sadly grieved;
And nothing save those little rogues,
Such sadness can relieve.
The heart is sadly grieved;
And nothing save those little rogues,
Such sadness can relieve.
Sometimes at home, sometimes at school,
Sometimes upon the street;
No matter where, it is the rule,
The heart gives them a greet.
Sometimes upon the street;
No matter where, it is the rule,
The heart gives them a greet.
Sometimes it catches one of them,
And when its not amiss,
The heart turns thief itself—what then?
It quickly steals a kiss.
And when its not amiss,
The heart turns thief itself—what then?
It quickly steals a kiss.
And when the heart is so bereft,
O'er wicked ways of men,
It receives new strength from the thought
“These little ones don't sin.”
O'er wicked ways of men,
It receives new strength from the thought
“These little ones don't sin.”
And all the influence that I have,
Which to these thieves is given,
Is pointing out the way that leads
Their little souls to heaven.
Which to these thieves is given,
Is pointing out the way that leads
Their little souls to heaven.
144
They take the heart at early dawn
Way off to Paradise,
And show it to the blood-bought throne,
Around the living Christ.
Way off to Paradise,
And show it to the blood-bought throne,
Around the living Christ.
They take the heart at sultry noon,
Into a cooling breeze,
Where all of life's hardships make room
For what we call “heartsease,”
Into a cooling breeze,
Where all of life's hardships make room
For what we call “heartsease,”
They take the heart at eventide,
When daily toil is ended;
They take it where the stars abide
And have its tissues mended.
When daily toil is ended;
They take it where the stars abide
And have its tissues mended.
And when the heart lays down to sleep,
While in a pensive dream,
These little thieves around it creep,
And makes the rest serene.
While in a pensive dream,
These little thieves around it creep,
And makes the rest serene.
They take the heart at dark midnight,
And wander far away,
Into the land of pure delight,
Where midnight is as day.
And wander far away,
Into the land of pure delight,
Where midnight is as day.
My friends, I guess you know by now,
Who these thieves are in part;
The Savior loves the little rogues,
The children steal my heart.
Who these thieves are in part;
The Savior loves the little rogues,
The children steal my heart.
| Coffin's Poems with Ajax' Ordeals | |