Poetry.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2754, 8 March 1890, Page 5 (Supplement)

Poetry.

RECIPROCITY OF DIVINI SYMPATHY. When tho snnl is sad, and the heart is sore And the mind i» tilled with learg, 0 ! thaawectneos of those words of yore, "I have heard thy prayer; I have seei thy tears." ' When you ask for grace to walk aright, AU pour uut cries and tears. The comes to strengthen nighty "I have heard thy prayer; I have seei thy toari." ' . When the atop in weary, and the faith ii dim, / And perplexing doubt interfere*, Hope springs up an we look to Him, " I have heard thy prayer ; I have Beet thy tear?." When life ia hard, and rongh and chill, And no terreatihl thing endears, The* words-divine control us still, ' ; I have heard thy prayer; I have seer thy tear?." , When sin abounds in every land, And rien ignore the Beers, The word of, God i< ("till our stand, "I have heard' thy prayer; I have seen thy tears." When - the body is frail, and dying, and faint. And we crave a few years; This is the echo to oar complaint, , " I have heard , thy prayer, I-have seen thy tears." When we *eek the reverse of death's decree, For the sake of our compeers, Tho full and fret*. "I have heard thy: prayer, I have seen • r . thy tears." When we breatho to heaven our feeble love, AUOyedJwi'h »iris iind smears, He. whispers-gently from above, " I, baveheanl thy prayers, I have seen •thy tears." When'the shades of death are closing round, - And the good approach their biers, The. words ring nut With sweeter sound, "I have heard thy pruyer, I have sden thy tears." Alas 1 for . those who die in sin, An,eternity of team; O t joy»l-for thnso witU Christ akin, •'Tliere Bball-be m» more tear^." ! . ' Wm. John Elliott, Divinity Suiiient. Raglan, February 20'h, 1890. AFTER THE YEARS. | tfifejl^Wefct— acriws the '(rap of yearn, '■ 1 . The, same familiar hands hate cU»p d again ; ... ■.;; ; ■ ! As in the days of youth undimm d by iear.s, ' And care, and sorrow, and. a life-loug pain. : 1 ' Once more.their: converse is of times'gone by . : .■ !• ■ Of early friendships broken and unbound; And tho quick tears that st;irt from ty'ry, eye " _ ' ' Show how their hearts have touch a ; p' t »nae h'allow'd grmmd.' ■ : i The .self-same' links doth bind them as i'f yoro. : > ■ ■ ■ Though .time, and absence have bereaved . them al|; . 1 And they are thinking of some, "gone bofore," Eacap'd for ever from . i earth's bitter thrall. And they are ling'ung o'er each raem'rj sweet, And weaveing 'garlands round sbnv vaniith'd scene, And .in these moments spent so dear ami fleet, ; ■' ■■ ; ; ■ Forget the present in the "might have .been." Ob J frieiids belov'd—each chequer'd, pat) was bent, Each suoder'd'life had purpose firm an- < true : • ' ABd thuitrh the sun seems netting to the WViSt, ■ The heavenly dawn will soon break oor your view, • ,'i ,i ■ ■ Then standing on the far, Eternal Shore, ~ There will be recompense for all titf" past; The sweet fruition of the evermore, When parted friends shall meet fbr.aye »t last. —Elvira A. Stannard,