| Higginson and Bigelow, comps. American Sonnets. 1891. | | | | Thomas à Kempis; De Imitatione Christi | | By Richard Rogers Bowker (1848–1933) |
| | | TURN with me from the city’s clamorous street, | |
| Where throng and push passions and lusts and hate, | |
| And enter, through this age-browned, ivied gate, | |
| For many summers’ birds a sure retreat, | |
| The place of perfect peace. And here, most meet | 5 |
| For meditation, where no idle prate | |
| Of the world’s ways may come, rest thee and wait. | |
| ’T is very quiet. Thus doth still Heaven entreat. | |
| |
| With rev’rent feet, his face so worn, so fair, | |
| Walks one who bears the cross, who waits the crown. | 10 |
| Tumult is past. In those calm eyes I see | |
| The image of the Master, Christ, alone. | |
| And from those patient lips I hear one prayer: | |
| “Dear Lord, dear Lord, that I may be like Thee!” | | | | |
|
|
