 | Lays of Leisure Hours |  |
RESOLUTION.
Now, my heart! in the daring of utter Scorn
Be fearless and mighty and nobly upborne!
And arm thyself now with the fulness of Pride!
And breast thou dark Sorrow's o'erflowing tide.
Be fearless and mighty and nobly upborne!
And arm thyself now with the fulness of Pride!
And breast thou dark Sorrow's o'erflowing tide.
Float not down that dark stream like the helpless weed,
Nor bend on the gale like the powerless reed,
But be like to the Oak, and be like to the rock,
Stand the tempest's sweep—stem the torrent's shock!
Nor bend on the gale like the powerless reed,
But be like to the Oak, and be like to the rock,
Stand the tempest's sweep—stem the torrent's shock!
176
In the daring of utter pride and scorn,
My heart! be thou fearless now and upborne!
And hurl thou back at insulting Fate
Thy strong defiance—untamed and elate.
My heart! be thou fearless now and upborne!
And hurl thou back at insulting Fate
Thy strong defiance—untamed and elate.
Shattered thou may'st be but never subdued
By the rough collision—the contact rude—
Crushed to the Death but unconquered still—
And lofty and proud to the latest thrill!
By the rough collision—the contact rude—
Crushed to the Death but unconquered still—
And lofty and proud to the latest thrill!
Yet Oh! not the weakest of Spirits that bow
To each stroke of Fate ever felt as thou,
Words were but weak and but vain to show
The wildness and depth of thy Love and woe!
To each stroke of Fate ever felt as thou,
Words were but weak and but vain to show
The wildness and depth of thy Love and woe!
Still—still in the daring of utter Scorn
Mighty thou shalt be and proudly upborne,
For thyself thou scorn'st—and each tenderer mood
By which hearts less soft have been sooner subdued!
Mighty thou shalt be and proudly upborne,
For thyself thou scorn'st—and each tenderer mood
By which hearts less soft have been sooner subdued!
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