 | The American common-place book of poetry |  |
Retirement.—Anonymous.
“The calm retreat, the silent shade,
With prayer and praise agree,
And seem by Thy sweet bounty made
For those who follow Thee.
With prayer and praise agree,
And seem by Thy sweet bounty made
For those who follow Thee.
“There, if Thy Spirit touch the soul,
And grace her mean abode,
O, with what peace, and joy, and love,
She communes with her God.
And grace her mean abode,
O, with what peace, and joy, and love,
She communes with her God.
“There, like the nightingale, she pours
Her solitary lays,
Nor asks a witness to her song,
Nor thirsts for human praise.”
Cowper.
Her solitary lays,
Nor asks a witness to her song,
Nor thirsts for human praise.”
I love to steal awhile away
From every cumbering care,
And spend the hours of setting day
In humble, grateful prayer.
From every cumbering care,
And spend the hours of setting day
In humble, grateful prayer.
I love in solitude to shed
The penitential tear,
And all His promises to plead,
Where none but God can hear.
The penitential tear,
And all His promises to plead,
Where none but God can hear.
I love to think on mercies past,
And future good implore,
And all my sighs and sorrows cast
On him whom I adore.
And future good implore,
And all my sighs and sorrows cast
On him whom I adore.
I love by faith to take a view
Of brighter scenes in heaven:
Such prospects oft my strength renew,
While here by tempests driven.
Of brighter scenes in heaven:
Such prospects oft my strength renew,
While here by tempests driven.
95
Thus, when life's toilsome day is o'er,
May its departing ray
Be calm as this impressive hour,
And lead to endless day.
May its departing ray
Be calm as this impressive hour,
And lead to endless day.
| The American common-place book of poetry | |