Come to us, Lord, as the daylight comes
When the darkling night has gone,
And the quickened East is tremulous
With the thrill of the wakened dawn.
Come to us, Lord, as the tide comes on
With the waves from the distant sea;
Come, till our desert places smile,
And our souls are filled with thee.
There are in this loud, stunning tide
Of human care and crime,
With whom the melodies abide
Of th' everlasting chime!
Who carry music in their heart
Through dusky lane and wrangling mart,
Plying their daily task with busier feet
Because their secret souls a holy strain repeat.
--John Keble.
Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
But only he who sees takes off his shoes.
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries,
And daub their natural faces unaware
More and more from the first similitude.
--Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
O Name all other names above,
What art thou not to me,
Now I have learned to trust thy love
And cast my care on thee!
The thought of thee all sorrow calms;
Our anxious burdens fall;
His crosses turn to triumph palms
Who finds in God his all.
--Frederick Lucian Hosmer.
Far off thou art, but ever nigh,
I have thee still, and I rejoice,
I prosper circled with thy voice;
I shall not lose thee though I die.
--Alfred Tennyson.
Let the Loved One but smile on this poor heart of mine,
I will sell the two worlds for one drop of his wine.
--From the Persian.