A Song of Hope

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 8, 20 April 1911, Page 3

A Song of Hope

• A song—a song of. Hope, I'll sing— A song to cheer and gladden The hearts of those who feel the sting Of memories that sadden. For life to most is full of woe, And eorrow comes too early, And darns the cheerful spirits flow, And joy revisits rarely. O, -iw>eet the dreams of early youth, Like sunrise on the meadows, And bright the innocence of Truth, Too soon involved in shadows. A moment', bliss that lives and dies I'Jre we can comprehend it, A bird of paradise that flies And leave** us anguish-rended. Then thoughts arise that won't be stilled — The Why and Wherefore of it? Aiul questionings if God has willed His earth to be a Tophet? The promise of the early day— Why conies it to deliglit us, When it is doomed to die away In terrors that afright us 1 J One antidote —and one alone — I've found for such complainings, And that is cease to pine and groan, And work, nor count the gainings. Work, strive and act for others' weal, And seek by thine endeavour, The bruised and broken hearts to heal, And let thine own sink never. The man with such a purpose nigh, iso terrors can assail him. No craven fear can dim his eye, Jj'or courage will not fail him. He fights down Wrong with ardour strong, And doubts disperse before him; Within his heart he hums a song, God's angels hover o'er him. Ho crowns the moments as they fly With acts that tend to lighten The burden of the souls who sigh The darkened lives to brighten. The Present hath no mysteries But those with which he reckons; The treasures, of the Past are his To him the Future beckons. —K.H.