Poems By Richard Chenevix Trench: New ed |
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[Who that a watcher doth remain] |
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235
[Who that a watcher doth remain]
‘What pang is permanent with man? From the highest,
As from the meanest thing of every day,
He learns to wean himself: for the strong hours
Conquer him.’—
Schiller.
As from the meanest thing of every day,
He learns to wean himself: for the strong hours
Conquer him.’—
Schiller.
Who that a watcher doth remain
Beside a couch of mortal pain,
Deems he can ever smile again?
Beside a couch of mortal pain,
Deems he can ever smile again?
Or who that weeps beside a bier
Counts he has any more to fear
From the world's flatteries, false and leer?
Counts he has any more to fear
From the world's flatteries, false and leer?
And yet anon and he must start
At the light toys in which his heart
Can now already claim its part.
At the light toys in which his heart
Can now already claim its part.
O hearts of ours! so weak and poor,
That nothing there can long endure;
And so their hurts find shameful cure,
That nothing there can long endure;
And so their hurts find shameful cure,
While every sadder, wiser thought,
Each holier aim which sorrow brought,
Fades quite away and comes to nought.
Each holier aim which sorrow brought,
Fades quite away and comes to nought.
O Thou, who dost our weakness know,
Watch for us, that the strong hours so
Not wean us from our wholesome woe.
Watch for us, that the strong hours so
Not wean us from our wholesome woe.
Grant Thou, that we may long retain
The wholesome memories of pain,
Nor wish to lose them soon again.
The wholesome memories of pain,
Nor wish to lose them soon again.
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