 | The Literary Works of James Smetham |  |
256
ASPIRATION
O God, we sigh in Thee to rest,
With life's strange burden much opprest;
For us to be with Christ is best.
With life's strange burden much opprest;
For us to be with Christ is best.
Grateful that Thou hast brought us here
Through mists of doubt and dens of fear,
We wait till Thou our Lord appear.
Through mists of doubt and dens of fear,
We wait till Thou our Lord appear.
For we would love, where love no more
Shall with dark frosts be wrinkled o'er,
Or, lost, in idle channels pour:
Shall with dark frosts be wrinkled o'er,
Or, lost, in idle channels pour:
For we would know the shapely whole
Which Thou hast given to the soul
For its dominion and control—
Which Thou hast given to the soul
For its dominion and control—
The full-orbed mysteries of the sky
Which here in glittering fragments lie,
And all our baby wonderings try:
Which here in glittering fragments lie,
And all our baby wonderings try:
While now with glee, and now with dread,
In small experiment we tread
Among the living and the dead:
In small experiment we tread
Among the living and the dead:
Peering into the daisy's crown,
Until its wonders deep have grown
A mighty gulf to drink us down.
Until its wonders deep have grown
A mighty gulf to drink us down.
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And, but that wonder speaks of Thee,
How sad, amidst infinity,
With life and death unsolved, to be!
How sad, amidst infinity,
With life and death unsolved, to be!
O Life of Life! O Peace unknown!
What though the whole creation groan,
Thou knowest and Thou lov'st Thine own.
What though the whole creation groan,
Thou knowest and Thou lov'st Thine own.
And in the solitary place,
Where still and sad Thy suppliant prays,
Thou showest in his soul Thy face:
Where still and sad Thy suppliant prays,
Thou showest in his soul Thy face:
And to the dusky world unseen
His unchained spirit walks within
In glistering garments, white and clean.
His unchained spirit walks within
In glistering garments, white and clean.
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