OUR way had been to smooth her upward road, Easing the pressure of each heavy load, Never to let her white hand know a soil, Never her heart to feel the weight of toil, Could we have shielded her from every care, Kept her forever young and blithe and fair, And from her body warded every pain, As from her spirit all distress and strain, This had been joy of joys, our chosen way. God led her by a different path; each day Sorrow and work and anxious care He gave, And strife and anguish, till her soul grew brave. Through weary nights she leaned upon His love, Through cloudy days she fixed her gaze above. Her dearest vanished, but in faith and trust She knew them safe beyond the perished dust. Refined by suffering, like a little child She grew; into her Father's face she smiled. And then, one day of days, an angel came; In flute-notes sweet she heard him breathe her name. Perhaps from out the rifted heaven she saw Her mother's face look forth; in raptured awe We caught the last swift glory in her eyes, Ere, sleeping here, she woke in Paradise. God's way was best, with reverent lips we say, God's way @3is@1 best, and praise our God to-day. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...OUR SUSSEX DOWNS by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES WITCHCRAFT BY A PICTURE by JOHN DONNE ON EXPLORATION by JAMES GALVIN ON CATULLUS by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR A GLEAM OF SUNSHINE by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW THE HAYSTACK IN THE FLOODS by WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896) THE SAD SHEPHERD by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS |