"Every thing that is high, is not holy; nor every desire pure; nor all that is sweet, good; nor every thing that is dear to man, pleasing to God." -- THOMAS A KEMPIS. MIGHT we but view the shore Of this dim world, as from heaven's hill it gleams, How should we blame the tear unduly shed, And tax the truant joy! How should we see Amaz'd, our own mistakes: -- the lowly tomb Of our lost idols blooming thick with flowers Such as the seraph's bosom bears above, And the steep cliff where we have madly blown Ambition's victor-trump, with storm-clouds crown'd To wreck the unwary soul: -- wealth's hoarded gold, Eternal poverty; and the meek prayer Of him who knew not where to lay his head, An heritage of glory. Each desire Fed to fruition, till the satiate heart Is gorg'd with richness, sows it not the seeds Of sickness there? -- while he whose only rest Was on a spear-point, who might ask for bread Only to find a stone, gain'd he not thus A mansion in the amaranthine bowers Of love divine? Prosperity, alas! Is often but another name for pride, And selfishness, which scorns another's woe; While our keen disappointments are the food Of that humility which entereth Heaven, Finding itself at home. The things we mourn, Work our eternal gain. Then let our joys Be tremulous as the Mimosa's leaf, And each affliction with a serious smile Be welcom'd in at the heart's open door, As the good patriarch met his muffled guests And found them angels. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE NIGHTINGALE; A CONVERSATION POEM by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE HUMAN LIFE by AUBREY THOMAS DE VERE THE MAID'S LAMENT; ELIZABETHAN by WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR EARLY RISING by JOHN GODFREY SAXE TWILIGHT SYMPHONY by LESLIE ANDERSON SONG OF THE SERPENT-CHARMERS by EDWIN ARNOLD A VISION OF CHILDREN by THOMAS ASHE |