The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley in ten volumes |
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“O LIFE! O BEYOND!” |
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 | The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley |  |
1850
“O LIFE! O BEYOND!”
Strange—strange, O mortal Life,
The perverse gifts that came to me from you!
From childhood I have wanted all good things:
You gave me few.
The perverse gifts that came to me from you!
From childhood I have wanted all good things:
You gave me few.
You gave me faith in One—
Divine—above your own imperious might,
O mortal Life, while I but wanted you
And your delight.
Divine—above your own imperious might,
O mortal Life, while I but wanted you
And your delight.
I wanted dancing feet,
And flowery, grassy paths by laughing streams;
You gave me loitering steps, and eyes all blurred
With tears and dreams.
And flowery, grassy paths by laughing streams;
You gave me loitering steps, and eyes all blurred
With tears and dreams.
I wanted love,—and, lo!
As though in mockery, you gave me loss.
O'erburdened sore, I wanted rest: you gave
The heavier cross.
As though in mockery, you gave me loss.
O'erburdened sore, I wanted rest: you gave
The heavier cross.
I wanted one poor hut
For mine own home, to creep away into:
You gave me only lonelier desert lands
To journey through.
For mine own home, to creep away into:
You gave me only lonelier desert lands
To journey through.
1851
Now, at the last vast verge
Of barren age, I stumble, reel, and fling
Me down, with strength all spent and heart athirst
And famishing.
Of barren age, I stumble, reel, and fling
Me down, with strength all spent and heart athirst
And famishing.
Yea, now, Life, deal me death,—
Your worst—your vaunted worst! ... Across my breast
With numb and fumbling hands I gird me for
The best.
Your worst—your vaunted worst! ... Across my breast
With numb and fumbling hands I gird me for
The best.
| The Complete Works of James Whitcomb Riley | |