 | Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge |  |
49
THE MASTER HAND.
Life is a picture, warm and grand,
Of varied colors made;
Each touch is by the Master's hand,
And His the light and shade.
Of varied colors made;
Each touch is by the Master's hand,
And His the light and shade.
These tints so strong and fresh and bright—
Ah, here the foreground glows!
Some souls are brave and gladly right,
And God, the Master, knows.
Ah, here the foreground glows!
Some souls are brave and gladly right,
And God, the Master, knows.
What though He wills my lines must be
Obscure and gray and drear?
His picture was in need of me,
And He hath set me here.
Obscure and gray and drear?
His picture was in need of me,
And He hath set me here.
My shadow may bring out, intent,
The brightness of a soul
That must be free and prominent
To make the perfect whole.
The brightness of a soul
That must be free and prominent
To make the perfect whole.
50
Or, it may be, a sadder lot,
A colder dash of gray,
Falls somewhere near, and mine is not
The very darkest way.
A colder dash of gray,
Falls somewhere near, and mine is not
The very darkest way.
We cannot change us by a tint,
Nor guide our lines alone;
But we may catch His subtlest hint,
And hold it as our own.
Nor guide our lines alone;
But we may catch His subtlest hint,
And hold it as our own.
To learn and heed the Master's will,
And rightly do our part,
To bow before Almighty skill,
And reverence His art—
And rightly do our part,
To bow before Almighty skill,
And reverence His art—
Content and blest one touch to be—
This is enough, O Soul!
When God, for all Eternity,
His picture shall unroll.
This is enough, O Soul!
When God, for all Eternity,
His picture shall unroll.
| Poems and verses by Mary Mapes Dodge | |