Flower o' the thorn A book of wayside verse: By John Payne |
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THE COMMON HOPE. |
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 | Flower o' the thorn |  |
102
THE COMMON HOPE.
THE waste years call, from their sepulchral caves,
Upon me for rebirth
In brighter worlds, beyond the winds and waves,
Beyond the strife and stress, the griefs and graves
Of this our narrow earth.
Upon me for rebirth
In brighter worlds, beyond the winds and waves,
Beyond the strife and stress, the griefs and graves
Of this our narrow earth.
Can it, then, be, as you imply, sad years,
Out-yearning to me thus,
That, in some sphere beyond our hopes and fears,
Beyond our doubts and dreams, our smiles and tears,
There wait new worlds for us?
Out-yearning to me thus,
That, in some sphere beyond our hopes and fears,
Beyond our doubts and dreams, our smiles and tears,
There wait new worlds for us?
A thousand ages pass and make no sign;
We die and cease to be;
Our dust is gathered into Nature's shrine,
Nor is there any trace of yours or mine
In Heaven or earth or sea.
We die and cease to be;
Our dust is gathered into Nature's shrine,
Nor is there any trace of yours or mine
In Heaven or earth or sea.
For me, indeed, if Death's sepulchral snows
Hide worlds of brighter sheen,
I cannot credit that their joys and woes,
Their strifes and aims, will other be than those
Which here on earth have been.
Hide worlds of brighter sheen,
I cannot credit that their joys and woes,
Their strifes and aims, will other be than those
Which here on earth have been.
Flowers live again, because their seeding-plot
Conceals the germs of Spring;
Nor can we,—I, at least, conceive it not,—
Look, in another life, for otherwhat
Than that with us we bring.
Conceals the germs of Spring;
Nor can we,—I, at least, conceive it not,—
Look, in another life, for otherwhat
Than that with us we bring.
103
Be't as it may, behind Life's doubtful dream
Whatever Edens lie,
Whatever eyes behold their morning beam,
I do not crave it, neither do I deem
That I shall see it, I.
Whatever Edens lie,
Whatever eyes behold their morning beam,
I do not crave it, neither do I deem
That I shall see it, I.
Sufferance with Nature is the nameless sin
That she may not forgive:
Her creatures all, that end as they begin,
Suffer and die: but we, who are their kin,
We suffer and we live.
That she may not forgive:
Her creatures all, that end as they begin,
Suffer and die: but we, who are their kin,
We suffer and we live.
Scant joy I've known: for joy I was not born,
Meseems, as other men:
The wede of sufferance all my life I've worn
And in new worlds, beyond our night and morn,
I feel, should wear again.
Meseems, as other men:
The wede of sufferance all my life I've worn
And in new worlds, beyond our night and morn,
I feel, should wear again.
Wherefore my heart unto the common hope
Of men may not upleap;
Nor do my thoughts, when they, the Future's scope
Exploring, in the eternal darkness grope,
For better seek than sleep.
Of men may not upleap;
Nor do my thoughts, when they, the Future's scope
Exploring, in the eternal darkness grope,
For better seek than sleep.
| Flower o' the thorn | |