FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103  
104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   >>   >|  
greatly care, since all is well. Thy daily task is done, And now the wages of repose are won. Here friendship lights the fire, and every heart, Sure of itself and sure of all the rest, Dares to be true, and gladly takes its part In open converse, bringing forth its best: And here is music, melting every chain Of lassitude and pain: And here, at last, is sleep with silent gifts,-- Kind sleep, the tender nurse who lifts The soul grown weary of the waking world, And lays it, with its thoughts all furled, Its fears forgotten, and its passions still, On the deep bosom of the Eternal Will. THREE PRAYERS FOR SLEEP AND WAKING I BEDTIME Ere thou sleepest gently lay Every troubled thought away: Put off worry and distress As thou puttest off thy dress: Drop thy burden and thy care In the quiet arms of prayer. _Lord, Thou knowest how I live, All I've done amiss forgive: All of good I've tried to do, Strengthen, bless, and carry through, All I love in safety keep, While in Thee I fall asleep._ II NIGHT WATCH If slumber should forsake Thy pillow in the dark, Fret not thyself to mark How long thou liest awake. There is a better way; Let go the strife and strain, Thine eyes will close again, If thou wilt only pray. _Lord, Thy peaceful gift restore, Give my body sleep once more: While I wait my soul will rest Like a child upon Thy breast._ III NEW DAY Ere thou risest from thy bed, Speak to God Whose wings were spread O'er thee in the helpless night: Lo, He wakes thee now with light! Lift thy burden and thy care In the mighty arms of prayer. _Lord, the newness of this day Calls me to an untried way: Let me gladly take the road, Give me strength to bear my load, Thou my guide and helper be-- I will travel through with Thee._ The Mission Inn, California, Easter, 1913. PORTRAIT AND REALITY If on the closed curtain of my sight My fancy paints thy portrait far away, I see thee still the same, by night or day; Crossing the crowded street, or moving bright 'Mid festal throngs, or reading by the light Of shaded lamp some friendly poet's lay, Or shepherding the children at their play,-- The same sweet self, and my unchanged delight. But when I see thee near, I recognize In every dear familiar way some strange
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103  
104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
prayer
 

burden

 

gladly

 
helpless
 

peaceful

 

restore

 

risest

 

breast

 

spread

 

helper


shaded

 
friendly
 

reading

 
throngs
 
street
 

crowded

 

moving

 

bright

 

festal

 

shepherding


children

 

recognize

 

strange

 

familiar

 

delight

 
unchanged
 

Crossing

 

strength

 

travel

 

strain


newness

 

untried

 
Mission
 

curtain

 

portrait

 

paints

 

closed

 

Easter

 

California

 

PORTRAIT


REALITY
 
mighty
 

tender

 

lassitude

 

silent

 
waking
 

passions

 
forgotten
 
thoughts
 

furled