 | [Poems by Cary in] Early and late poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary |  |
PROEM.
FOR NATIONAL TEMPERANCE OFFERING, 1850.
Knowing how all who live are bound together
By the sweet ties of one humanity,
How all are fellow-pilgrims journeying thither
Where shines the city of eternity;
By the sweet ties of one humanity,
How all are fellow-pilgrims journeying thither
Where shines the city of eternity;
And seeing that he to whom no brother lendeth
A helping hand to bear his weight of ill,
Oft falters on the pathway which ascendeth
Up the beautiful summit of life's hill;
A helping hand to bear his weight of ill,
Oft falters on the pathway which ascendeth
Up the beautiful summit of life's hill;
And turns to follow by-paths and forbidden,
Winding and winding back from virtue's goal,
Till, where the seir-cryts of the world lie hidden,
Lost and bewildered walks the human soul;
Winding and winding back from virtue's goal,
Till, where the seir-cryts of the world lie hidden,
Lost and bewildered walks the human soul;
We who have yet with sin maintained resistance,
And tempted, have not wholly turned aside,
Would come with love, with counsel, and assistance,
To all whose spirits are more sorely tried.
And tempted, have not wholly turned aside,
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To all whose spirits are more sorely tried.
If there be any who would turn and perish,
Because no friend has whispered words of cheer,
Any whom yet no heart has learned to cherish,
To us their sufferings and their hopes are dear.
Because no friend has whispered words of cheer,
Any whom yet no heart has learned to cherish,
To us their sufferings and their hopes are dear.
If there be any faltering, and no longer
Equal to life's most toilsome marches found,—
Oh lean on us, until your feet, grown stronger,
Are firmly planted on a vantage ground.
Equal to life's most toilsome marches found,—
Oh lean on us, until your feet, grown stronger,
Are firmly planted on a vantage ground.
And then, forsaken one, who darkly weepest
Over a lost one gone from virtue's track,
For thee, even where sin's shafts are sunken deepest,
We will go fearlessly and lead him back.
Over a lost one gone from virtue's track,
For thee, even where sin's shafts are sunken deepest,
We will go fearlessly and lead him back.
Yea, we will save him, even though the hisses
Of baffled demons mock us as we come;—
Love's lip is sweeter than the wine-cup's kisses,
Love's smile is brighter than the wine-cup's foam.
Of baffled demons mock us as we come;—
Love's lip is sweeter than the wine-cup's kisses,
Love's smile is brighter than the wine-cup's foam.
And daily thus to bless our efforts, bringing
Some soul that turned or might have turned to death,
We shall go up life's hill together, singing
The sweetly solemn hymns of love and faith.
Some soul that turned or might have turned to death,
We shall go up life's hill together, singing
The sweetly solemn hymns of love and faith.
And from its summit viewing, but not sadly,
The peaceful valley where shall end our strife,
We will walk downward willingly and gladly
To the last bivouac on the plains of life.
The peaceful valley where shall end our strife,
We will walk downward willingly and gladly
To the last bivouac on the plains of life.
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For, knowing death is but the door of heaven,
We shall press joyfully to meet the hour;
Not with the lock-step like cringing felons driven
Under the gateway of their prison-tower!
We shall press joyfully to meet the hour;
Not with the lock-step like cringing felons driven
Under the gateway of their prison-tower!
| [Poems by Cary in] Early and late poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary | |