 | [Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary |  |
NOT NOW.
The path of duty I clearly trace,
I stand with conscience face to face,
And all her pleas allow;
Calling and crying the while for grace,—
“Some other time, and some other place:
Oh, not to-day; not now!”
I stand with conscience face to face,
And all her pleas allow;
Calling and crying the while for grace,—
“Some other time, and some other place:
Oh, not to-day; not now!”
I know 't is a demon boding ill,
I know I have power to do if I will,
And I put my hand to th' plough;
I have fair, sweet seeds in my barn, and lo!
When all the furrows are ready to sow,
The voice says, “Oh, not now!”
I know I have power to do if I will,
And I put my hand to th' plough;
I have fair, sweet seeds in my barn, and lo!
When all the furrows are ready to sow,
The voice says, “Oh, not now!”
My peace I sell at the price of woe;
In heart and in spirit I suffer so,
The anguish wrings my brow;
But still I linger and cry for grace,—
“Some other time, and some other place:
Oh, not to-day; not now!”
In heart and in spirit I suffer so,
The anguish wrings my brow;
But still I linger and cry for grace,—
“Some other time, and some other place:
Oh, not to-day; not now!”
I talk to my stubborn heart and say,
The work I must do I will do to-day;
I will make to the Lord a vow:
And I will not rest and I will not sleep
Till the vow I have vowed I rise and keep;
And the demon cries, “Not now!”
The work I must do I will do to-day;
I will make to the Lord a vow:
And I will not rest and I will not sleep
Till the vow I have vowed I rise and keep;
And the demon cries, “Not now!”
And so the days and the years go by,
And so I register lie upon lie,
And break with Heaven my vow;
For when I would boldly take my stand,
This terrible demon stays my hand,—
“Oh, not to-day: not now!”
And so I register lie upon lie,
And break with Heaven my vow;
For when I would boldly take my stand,
This terrible demon stays my hand,—
“Oh, not to-day: not now!”
| [Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary | |