EDWARD ROWLAND SILL- WILLIAM GORDON MCCABE 421 On mart and meadow, Pavement or plain; On azure mountain, Or azure main, Heaven bends in blessing; Only babes whimper, And sick men wail, And faint hearts and feeble hearts, And weaklings fail. Down the great currents Let the boat swing; There was never winter But brought the spring. A PRAYER O GOD, our Father, if we had but truth! Lost truth—which thou perchance If, blindly groping, he shall oft mistake, Thinking them stars, and the one voice forsake Of Wisdom for the notes Which mocking Beauty utters here and there, Thou surely wilt forgive him, and forbear! Oh love us, for we love thee, Maker- God! Where by our graves we stand, And pray to touch, fearless of scorn or blame, Thy garment's hem, which Truth and Good we name. |