 | Poems by James Rhoades |  |
85
A FACT.
Scarce seven days since God saw go forth
A child in girlhood's beauty,
To do, whate'er its little worth,
Her simple task of duty:
A child in girlhood's beauty,
To do, whate'er its little worth,
Her simple task of duty:
She has left the cottage gay and glad,—
No fear, no thought of horror,
But child-like thinking how she had
The whole bright Spring before her.
No fear, no thought of horror,
But child-like thinking how she had
The whole bright Spring before her.
God saw her go—sees all, we trust—
No deed to Him mis-stated,
Yet knew, oh! think, how blood and lust
His little one awaited.
No deed to Him mis-stated,
Yet knew, oh! think, how blood and lust
His little one awaited.
86
You say ‘mere blasphemy to think;’
I say, though lip scarce brave it,
He saw His child tread hell's red brink,
And stretched no hand to save it.
I say, though lip scarce brave it,
He saw His child tread hell's red brink,
And stretched no hand to save it.
And mark! small need of marvels here—
How simple the solution!
Some brute-scent of discovery near,
Brute-fear of retribution,
How simple the solution!
Some brute-scent of discovery near,
Brute-fear of retribution,
One child-like impulse on her way
By that dark house to have hasted—
Hell's trump had chok'd one triumph-bray,
One life less sered and blasted.
By that dark house to have hasted—
Hell's trump had chok'd one triumph-bray,
One life less sered and blasted.
Will ye sink back then?—take your ease?—
Sigh ‘needs must come offences?’—
Trust to your pious ‘if God please,’
And special Providences?
Sigh ‘needs must come offences?’—
Trust to your pious ‘if God please,’
And special Providences?
87
Or is He wrath—for lack of prayer
His little ones forsaking?
Why, cry aloud then, cry, nor spare,
He sleeps and needs awaking.
His little ones forsaking?
Why, cry aloud then, cry, nor spare,
He sleeps and needs awaking.
Shout! leap! what fiery signal shone?
What voice from heaven rewarded?
‘No voice,’ at even shall ye moan,
‘Nor any that regarded.’
What voice from heaven rewarded?
‘No voice,’ at even shall ye moan,
‘Nor any that regarded.’
‘Yet He is Love’—I know it, and fain
Would trust Love's dark revealing—
His law burnt through us, that human pain
Through human help find healing.
Would trust Love's dark revealing—
His law burnt through us, that human pain
Through human help find healing.
Out on false faith! Come teach who can!
Nay, Preacher, spare your trouble,
Show first what beauty lives in man,
And what in life is noble;
Nay, Preacher, spare your trouble,
Show first what beauty lives in man,
And what in life is noble;
88
Throw wide their heart to the warm sun,
Make place for light and pleasure,
Teach them life's gain on earth begun,
Then talk of heavenly treasure—
Make place for light and pleasure,
Teach them life's gain on earth begun,
Then talk of heavenly treasure—
Thy law burnt through us! Oh! strong and good,
How hard Love's task to engrave it!
Thou that must see Thy lamb's shed blood,
And stretch no hand to save it!
How hard Love's task to engrave it!
Thou that must see Thy lamb's shed blood,
And stretch no hand to save it!
| Poems by James Rhoades | |