Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IV. The Higher Life. 1904. | | | | VI. Human Experience | | The Seed Growing Secretly | | Henry Vaughan (1621–1695) |
| | | DEAR, secret greenness! nurst below | |
| Tempests and winds and winter nights! | |
| Vex not, that but One sees thee grow; | |
| That One made all these lesser lights. | |
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| What needs a conscience calm and bright | 5 |
| Within itself, an outward test? | |
| Who breaks his glass, to take more light, | |
| Makes way for storms into his rest. | |
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| Then bless thy secret growth, nor catch | |
| At noise, but thrive unseen and dumb; | 10 |
| Keep clean, bear fruit, earn life, and watch | |
| Till the white-winged reapers come! | | | | |
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