STRIVING.

STRIVING.

IT is not much that I can do.My hands are weak.The lines they draw seem never true;The works I speakAre not the ones I long to say,—I speak not prayers I long to pray.It is no coward spirit, no—I try to learnHow others bravely strive and goRewards to earn,And yet success is never mine—I labor on a false design.They are not much, these little thingsThat form my task,Yet constant seeking never bringsWhat I would ask,And of what use is life to oneWho never knew a victory won?But this one thing I know, that HeWho guides the starsWill look in charity on meAnd see the scarsWhich show that I have tried to traceA path that weeds could not efface.

IT is not much that I can do.My hands are weak.The lines they draw seem never true;The works I speakAre not the ones I long to say,—I speak not prayers I long to pray.It is no coward spirit, no—I try to learnHow others bravely strive and goRewards to earn,And yet success is never mine—I labor on a false design.They are not much, these little thingsThat form my task,Yet constant seeking never bringsWhat I would ask,And of what use is life to oneWho never knew a victory won?But this one thing I know, that HeWho guides the starsWill look in charity on meAnd see the scarsWhich show that I have tried to traceA path that weeds could not efface.

IT is not much that I can do.My hands are weak.The lines they draw seem never true;The works I speakAre not the ones I long to say,—I speak not prayers I long to pray.

IT is not much that I can do.

My hands are weak.

The lines they draw seem never true;

The works I speak

Are not the ones I long to say,—

I speak not prayers I long to pray.

It is no coward spirit, no—I try to learnHow others bravely strive and goRewards to earn,And yet success is never mine—I labor on a false design.

It is no coward spirit, no—

I try to learn

How others bravely strive and go

Rewards to earn,

And yet success is never mine—

I labor on a false design.

They are not much, these little thingsThat form my task,Yet constant seeking never bringsWhat I would ask,And of what use is life to oneWho never knew a victory won?

They are not much, these little things

That form my task,

Yet constant seeking never brings

What I would ask,

And of what use is life to one

Who never knew a victory won?

But this one thing I know, that HeWho guides the starsWill look in charity on meAnd see the scarsWhich show that I have tried to traceA path that weeds could not efface.

But this one thing I know, that He

Who guides the stars

Will look in charity on me

And see the scars

Which show that I have tried to trace

A path that weeds could not efface.


Back to IndexNext