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not the image which it yet can spoil： Come nearer； Lord； and smooth the
wrinkled coil。
21。
O Lord； when I do think of my departed； I think of thee who art the
death of parting； Of him who crying Father breathed his last； Then radiant
from the sepulchre upstarted。 Even then； I think； thy hands and feet kept
smarting： With us the bitterness of death is past； But by the feet he still
doth hold us fast。
22。
Therefore our hands thy feet do hold as fast。 We pray not to be spared
the sorest pang； But onlybe thou with us to the last。 Let not our heart be
troubled at the clang Of hammer and nails； nor dread the spear's keen fang；
Nor the ghast sickening that comes of pain； Nor yet the last clutch of the
banished brain。
23。
Lord； pity us： we have no making power； Then give us making will；
adopting thine。 Make； make； and make us； temper； and refine。 Be in us
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patienceneither to start nor cower。 Christ； if thou be not with usnot by
sign； But presence； actual as the wounds that bleed We shall not bear it；
but shall die indeed。
24。
O Christ； have pity on all men when they come Unto the border
haunted of dismay； When that they know not draweth very near The
other thing； the opposite of day； Formless and ghastly； sick； and gaping…
dumb； Before which even love doth lose his cheer： O radiant Christ；
remember then thy fear。
25。
Be by me； Lord； this day。 Thou know'st I mean Lord； make me mind
thee。 I herewith forestall My own forgetfulness； when I stoop to glean The
corn of earthwhich yet thy hand lets fall。 Be for me then against myself。
Oh lean Over me then when I invert my cup； Take me； if by the hair； and
lift me up。
26。
Lord of essential life； help me to die。 To will to die is one with highest
life； The mightiest act that to Will's hand doth lie Born of God's essence；
and of man's hard strife： God； give me strength my evil self to kill； And
die into the heaven of thy pure will。 Then shall this body's death be very
tolerable。
27。
As to our mothers came help in our birth Not lost in lifing us； but
saved and blest Self bearing self； although right sorely prest； Shall
nothing lose； but die and be at rest In life eternal； beyond all care and
dearth。 God…born then truly； a man does no more ill； Perfectly loves； and
has whate'er he will。
28。
As our dear animals do suffer less Because their pain spreads neither
right nor left； Lost in oblivion and foresightlessness Our suffering sore
by faith shall be bereft Of all dismay； and every weak excess。 His presence
shall be better in our pain； Than even self…absence to the weaker brain。
29。
〃Father； let this cup pass。〃 He prayedwas heard。 What cup was it that
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passed away from him？ Sure not the death…cup； now filled to the brim！
There was no quailing in the awful word； He still was king of kings； of
lords the lord： He feared lest； in the suffering waste and grim； His faith
might grow too faint and sickly dim。
30。
Thy mind； my master； I will dare explore； What we are told； that we
are meant to know。 Into thy soul I search yet more and more； Led by the
lamp of my desire and woe。 If thee； my Lord； I may not understand； I am a
wanderer in a houseless land； A weeping thirst by hot winds ever fanned。
31。
Therefore I look againand think I see That； when at last he did cry
out； 〃My God； Why hast thou me forsaken？〃 straight man's rod Was turned
aside； for； that same moment； he Cried 〃Father！〃 and gave up will and
breath and spirit Into his hands whose all he did inherit Delivered；
glorified eternally。
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APRIL。
1。
LORD； I do choose the higher than my will。 I would be handled by thy
nursing arms After thy will； not my infant alarms。 Hurt me thou wiltbut
then more loving still； If more can be and less； in love's perfect zone！ My
fancy shrinks from least of all thy harms； But do thy will with meI am
thine own。
2。
Some things wilt thou not one day turn to dreams？ Some dreams wilt
thou not one day turn to fact？ The thing that painful； more than should be；
seems； Shall not thy sliding years with them retract Shall fair realities
not counteract？ The thing that was well dreamed of bliss and joy Wilt
thou not breathe thy life into the toy？
3。
I have had dreams of absolute delight； Beyond all waking blissonly
of grass； Flowers； wind； a peak； a limb of marble white； They dwell with
me like things half come to pass； True prophecies：when I with thee am
right； If I pray； waking； for such a joy of sight； Thou with the gold； wilt not
refuse the brass。
4。
I think I shall not ever pray for such； Thy bliss will overflood my heart
and brain； And I want no unripe things back again。 Love ever fresher；
lovelier than of old How should it want its more exchanged for much？
Love will not backward sigh； but forward strain； On in the tale still telling；
never told。
5。
What has been； shall not only be； but is。 The hues of dreamland；
strange and sweet and tender Are but hint…shadows of full many a
splendour Which the high Parent…love will yet unroll Before his child's
obedient； humble soul。 Ah； me； my God！ in thee lies every bliss Whose
shadow men go hunting wearily amiss。
6。
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Now； ere I sleep； I wonder what I shall dream。 Some sense of being；
utter new； may come Into my soul while I am blind and dumb With
shapes and airs and scents which dark hours teem； Of other sort than those
that haunt the day； Hinting at precious things； ages away In the long tale of
us God to himself doth say。
7。
Late； in a dream； an unknown lady I saw Stand on a tomb； down she to
me stepped thence。 〃They tell me；〃 quoth I； 〃thou art one of the dead！〃
And scarce believed for gladness the yea she said； A strange auroral bliss；
an arctic awe； A new； outworldish joy awoke intense； To think I talked
with one that verily was dead。
8。
Thou dost demand our love； holy Lord Christ； And batest nothing of
thy modesty； Thou know'st no other way to bliss the highest Than loving
thee； the loving； perfectly。 Thou lovest perfectlythat is thy bliss： We must
love like thee； or our being miss So； to love perfectly； love perfect Love；
love thee。
9。
Here is my heart； O Christ； thou know'st I love thee。 But wretched is
the thing I call my love。 O Love divine； rise up in me and move me I
follow surely when thou first dost move。 To love the perfect love； is primal；
mere Necessity； and he who holds life dear； Must love thee every hope
and heart above。
10。
Might I but scatter interfering things Questions and doubts； distrusts
and anxious pride； And in thy garment； as under gathering wings； Nestle
obedient to thy loving side； Easy it were to love the