John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892). The Poetical Works in Four Volumes. 1892.
Religious PoemsThe Answer
S
And let the sunshine weave to-day
Its gold-threads in the warp and woof
Of life so poor and gray.
These lingering feet, that fain would stray
Among the flowers, shall some day seek
The strait and narrow way.
The awe of thy rebuking frown;
The dullest slave at times must sigh
To fling his burdens down;
And press, in summer warmth and calm,
The lap of some enchanted shore
Of blossom and of balm.
My heart its taste of long desire;
This day be mine: be those to come
As duty shall require.
Smiting my selfish prayers away;
“To-morrow is with God alone,
And man hath but to-day.
The Father’s arm shall still be wide,
When from these pleasant ways of sin
Thou turn’st at eventide.
‘And angels shall thy feet upbear.’
He bids thee make a lie of faith,
And blasphemy of prayer.
No force divine can love compel;
And, though the song of sins forgiven
May sound through lowest hell,
Respects thy sanctity of will.
He giveth day: thou hast thy choice
To walk in darkness still;
Watches his own gray shadow fall,
Doubting, upon his path of night,
If there be day at all!
No wind of wrath may downward whirl,
No swords of fire keep watch about
The open gates of pearl;
Than song of earth a sweeter hymn,
May shine and sound forever on,
And thou be deaf and dim.
The guiding lights of Love shall burn;
But what if, habit-bound, thy feet
Shall lack the will to turn?
Thine ear of Heaven’s free welcome fail,
And thou a willing captive be,
Thyself thy own dark jail?
As the long years of God unroll,
To make thy dreary selfishness
The prison of a soul!
The fetters from thy self-bound limb;
And dream that God can thee forsake
As thou forsakest Him!”