 | Lays of Leisure Hours |  |
184
LIFE'S WORST GRIEF.
Heart and Brain
Lorn ye are—
Weariest Pain!
Worst Despair!
Lorn ye are—
Weariest Pain!
Worst Despair!
Could I break
Yoke and chain,
Could I wake
Hope again—
Yoke and chain,
Could I wake
Hope again—
Could I win
Back to sight
Dreams akin
To Delight—
Back to sight
Dreams akin
To Delight—
185
What were this,
What were aught,
Bright with bliss
To my Thought!
What were aught,
Bright with bliss
To my Thought!
There's a grief
Dearer far
Than Life's chief
Blessings are!
Dearer far
Than Life's chief
Blessings are!
Heart and mind
Deeply know
Strangely find
Joy in woe!
Deeply know
Strangely find
Joy in woe!
Heart and Brain—
Spurn relief,
Court their pain,
Love their Grief!
Spurn relief,
Court their pain,
Love their Grief!
186
Love!—dark word,
Thou makest still
Each Heart's chord
Jar and thrill!
Thou makest still
Each Heart's chord
Jar and thrill!
Love can sole
Thus bestow
Bliss in dole,
Joy in woe!
Thus bestow
Bliss in dole,
Joy in woe!
Love's excess
Sole can make
Hearts to bless—
While they break.
Sole can make
Hearts to bless—
While they break.
Seems his Care
Precious even!
His Despair
Dear as Heaven!
Precious even!
His Despair
Dear as Heaven!
187
Grief and Gloom,
Toil and Tears,
Death and Doom,
He endears!
Toil and Tears,
Death and Doom,
He endears!
Therefore Love
Thou art still
Far above
Every ill!
Thou art still
Far above
Every ill!
Therefore Love
Thou'rt Life's worst—
Since we move
Self accursed!
Thou'rt Life's worst—
Since we move
Self accursed!
Since we twine
Round our chain,
And resign
All to pain!
Round our chain,
And resign
All to pain!
188
Since men spread
Coals of fire
On their head
In self-ire.
Coals of fire
On their head
In self-ire.
When o'erpowered
By thy might,
As they showered
Stars of Light!
By thy might,
As they showered
Stars of Light!
Other grief
Seeks redress—
Craves relief
'Mid distress.
Seeks redress—
Craves relief
'Mid distress.
Worse, far worse—
Love! thou art,
Cherished Curse—
Of the Heart!
Love! thou art,
Cherished Curse—
Of the Heart!
189
Worshipped Wrong—
Blessed Bane,
Stern and strong,
Stands thy reign!
Blessed Bane,
Stern and strong,
Stands thy reign!
Giant-Power!
Nursed and fed
Hour by hour
Still by dread.
Nursed and fed
Hour by hour
Still by dread.
Dread and Doubt,
Shame and Strife—
Close about
Love's wild Life!
Shame and Strife—
Close about
Love's wild Life!
These and things
Deadlier yet,
Darker springs
Of regret—
Deadlier yet,
Darker springs
Of regret—
190
Fuller sway,
Firmlier strength,
Fiercer play
Lend at length!
Firmlier strength,
Fiercer play
Lend at length!
Ev'n to him—
Earth's crowned Lord,
Dark and dim,
Feared—adored!
Earth's crowned Lord,
Dark and dim,
Feared—adored!
No escape
Ours may be—
Every shape
Suiteth thee!
Ours may be—
Every shape
Suiteth thee!
Gloom and Wrath,
Storm and Flame,
Still thy path
Is the same—
Storm and Flame,
Still thy path
Is the same—
191
We wish not
To be saved!
By our lot
Crushed—enslaved.
To be saved!
By our lot
Crushed—enslaved.
Still we kneel
At thy shrine,
Who could heal
Wounds of thine?
At thy shrine,
Who could heal
Wounds of thine?
Who would seek
To be spared?
Fond and weak
Yield the ensnared.
To be spared?
Fond and weak
Yield the ensnared.
Who would choose
To be free?
And thus lose
Grief and thee!
To be free?
And thus lose
Grief and thee!
192
They would call
On thee yet—
Would do all
But forget!—
On thee yet—
Would do all
But forget!—
They would cling
Round thee still
Fatal thing—
Mortal Ill!
Round thee still
Fatal thing—
Mortal Ill!
More and more
They shall bear,
Who adore
Their Despair!
They shall bear,
Who adore
Their Despair!
Therefore Love!
Foe of Foes,
Thou'rt above
All our woes!
Foe of Foes,
Thou'rt above
All our woes!
193
Thou'rt the first
Heavenly-miened!
Thou'rt the worst
Cherub-Fiend!
Heavenly-miened!
Thou'rt the worst
Cherub-Fiend!
Therefore thou
Ev'n 'mongst all—
Griefs that now
Men befall—
Ev'n 'mongst all—
Griefs that now
Men befall—
Stand'st alone
First and worst,
Deadliest known,
Most accursed.
First and worst,
Deadliest known,
Most accursed.
Thou, ev'n thou,
Sternly art
Brand to brow,
Hurt to heart.
Sternly art
Brand to brow,
Hurt to heart.
194
Being's bane,
Darkest dole,
Fire to Brain,
Death to Soul!
Darkest dole,
Fire to Brain,
Death to Soul!
Worthless Trust—
Wayward aim—
Star—of dust!
Spring—of flame!
Wayward aim—
Star—of dust!
Spring—of flame!
Withered Hope,
Wasted Hour—
Oh!—to cope
With thy Power!
Wasted Hour—
Oh!—to cope
With thy Power!
Weariest Bane—
Weightiest Care—
Wildest Pain—
Worst Despair!
Weightiest Care—
Wildest Pain—
Worst Despair!
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