YEARS did I vainly seek the good Lord's grace -- Prayed, fasted, and did penance dire and dread; Did kneel, with bleeding knees and rainy face, And mouth the dust, with ashes on my head; Yea, still with knotted scourge the flesh I flayed, Rent fresh the wounds, and moaned and shrieked insanely; And froth oozed with the pleadings that I made, And yet I prayed on vainly, vainly, vainly! A time, from out of swoon I lifted eye, To find a wretched outcast, gray and grim, Bathing my brow, with many a pitying sigh, And I did pray God's grace might rest on him. -- Then, lo! a gentle voice fell on mine ears -- "Thou shalt not sob in suppliance hereafter; Take up thy prayers and wring them dry of tears, And lift them, white and pure with love and laughter!" So is it now for all men else I pray; So it is I am blest and glad alway. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE FLIGHT OF THE GEESE by CHARLES GEORGE DOUGLAS ROBERTS ACROSS THE STREET by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH A SONNET. PLATONIC LOVE by PHILIP AYRES TWELVE SONNETS: 5. GLAD SEASONS by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) THE PASTURE POND by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN THE LITTLE PLANT by KATE LOUISE BROWN |