  I O Life! O Death! O God! Have we not striven? Have we not known Thee, God As Thy stars know Heaven? Have we not held Thee true, True as thy deepest, Sweet and immaculate blue Heaven that feels Thy dew! Have we not known Thee true, O God who keepest. II O God, our Father, God!— Who gav'st us fire, To rise, aspire— What though we strive and strive, And all our soul says 'live'? The empty scorn of men Will sneer it down again. And, O sun-centred high, Who, too, art Poet, Beneath Thy tender sky Each day new Keatses die, Calling all life a lie; Can this be so—and why?— And canst Thou know it? III We know Thee beautiful, We know Thee bitter! Help Thou!—Men's eyes are dull, O God most beautiful! Of things mere glitter. Dost Thou not see our tears? Dost Thou not hear the years Treading our hearts to shards, O Lord of all the Lords?— Arouse Thee, God of Hosts, There 'mid Thy glorious ghosts, So high and holy! Have mercy on our tears! Have mercy on our years! Our strivings and our fears, O Lord of lordly peers, On us, so lowly! IV On us, so fondly fain To tell what mother-pain Of Nature makes the rain. The sorrow of her snow, And all her winds that blow. Us, who interpret right Her mystic rose of light, Her moony rune of night. Us, who have utterance for Each warm, flame-hearted star That stammers from afar. Who hear the tears and sighs Of every bud that dies While heav'n's dew on it lies. Who see the power that dowers The wildwood bosks and bowers With musk of sap and flowers. Who see what no man sees In water, earth, and breeze, And in the hearts of trees. Turn not away Thy light, O God!—Our strength is slight! Help us who breast the height! Have mercy, Infinite! Have mercy! Printed by T. and A. CONSTABLE, (late) Printers to Her Majesty |
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