 | [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes |  |
THE ILLS OF LIFE.
How oft, when pursued by evils,
We falter and faint by the way,
But are fearless when, o'ertaken,
We pause, and turn at bay.
We falter and faint by the way,
But are fearless when, o'ertaken,
We pause, and turn at bay.
When storms in the distance have gathered,
I have trembled their wrath to meet,
Yet stood firm when the arrowy lightning
Has fallen at my feet.
I have trembled their wrath to meet,
Yet stood firm when the arrowy lightning
Has fallen at my feet.
My soul in the shadows of twilight
Has groaned beneath its load,
And felt at the solemn midnight
Secure in the hand of God.
Has groaned beneath its load,
And felt at the solemn midnight
Secure in the hand of God.
I have been with friends who were cherished
All earthly things above,
Till I deemed the death-pangs lighter
Than the pangs of parting love.
All earthly things above,
Till I deemed the death-pangs lighter
Than the pangs of parting love.
Yet with one fearful struggle,
When at last the dread blow fell,
I have kept my heart from breaking,
And calmly said, Farewell!
When at last the dread blow fell,
I have kept my heart from breaking,
And calmly said, Farewell!
I have looked at the grave, and shuddered
For my kindred treading near,
And when their feet had entered,
My soul forgot its fear.
For my kindred treading near,
And when their feet had entered,
My soul forgot its fear.
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Our ills are not so many
Nor so hard to bear below,
But our suffering in dread of the future
Is more than our present woe.
Nor so hard to bear below,
But our suffering in dread of the future
Is more than our present woe.
We see with our vision imperfect
Such causes of doubt and fear—
Some yet that are far in the distance,
And some that may never be near—
Such causes of doubt and fear—
Some yet that are far in the distance,
And some that may never be near—
When, if we would trust in His wisdom
Whose purpose we may not see,
We would find, whatever our trials,
As our day our strength shall be.
Whose purpose we may not see,
We would find, whatever our trials,
As our day our strength shall be.
| [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes | |