 | Jones Very : The Complete Poems |  |
Still a Day To Live
Still a day to live, still a day to live,
The thought to my mind doth wisdom give;
For what, in a day, may not be done?
What may not be lost? what may not be won?
The thought to my mind doth wisdom give;
For what, in a day, may not be done?
What may not be lost? what may not be won?
In a day we may turn from the evil away,
Resist the temptations, that lead us astray;
In a day we may goodness forever secure,
And thus our high calling of God may make sure.
Resist the temptations, that lead us astray;
In a day we may goodness forever secure,
And thus our high calling of God may make sure.
As bright from the east upriseth the sun,
Let the morning with prayer and with praise be begun;
Commune with thy Maker, and ask for his care,
He hears, and will bless thy heart-spoken prayer.
Let the morning with prayer and with praise be begun;
Commune with thy Maker, and ask for his care,
He hears, and will bless thy heart-spoken prayer.
In the hours of thy business, thy pleasure, thy rest,
Let the thought of his Presence on all be impressed;
'Twill strengthen for toil and thy pleasures make pure,
And give thee the riches that ever endure.
Let the thought of his Presence on all be impressed;
'Twill strengthen for toil and thy pleasures make pure,
And give thee the riches that ever endure.
364
Each hour heed the voice that to duty may call,
Though that duty to thee seem but trivial, or small;
Each deed, timely done, to remembrance how sweet!
Be quick, for the moment of action is fleet.
Though that duty to thee seem but trivial, or small;
Each deed, timely done, to remembrance how sweet!
Be quick, for the moment of action is fleet.
For the night quickly cometh, when labor is o'er,
And the sun at his rising shall see us no more;
When fruitful, or faithless, no more we can say,
“I have still, I have still yet to live for a day!”
And the sun at his rising shall see us no more;
When fruitful, or faithless, no more we can say,
“I have still, I have still yet to live for a day!”
Poem No. 436; c. 19 September 1863
| Jones Very : The Complete Poems | |