Classic Poem

When so a heavy rod shall rise to smite me,
And sore afflictions come to sear my soul,
When complications round about affright me,
And clouds of sorrow from all sides uproll;
When trial waits my gaze at every turning,
And chill misunderstanding greets my deed,
And spite of all the thirst for good that's burning
Within my heart finds no responsive heed;

When sturdy friends I've counted on are wanting;
When enemies rejoice to see me fall;
And o'er my troubled spirit gray the haunting
Fears of a ruin imminent appall;
When all my days are days of gloom and sadness,
And where was light no hint of light appears;
When every hope I hold to seems but madness,
And they who used to praise now turn to sneers;

Still in my breast despite its load of sorrow,
Despite the pressure of o'erwhelming care,
I sense the thrilling joy of a to-morrow
Whose dawn shall lighten up the darkness there.
I sense a moment nigh, when, woe abating,
I'll tread the path that leads on to release,
And find a cure for troubles dire awaiting
Safe in the everlasting arms of Peace.

For Life and Love so close are interweaving
That none can live and yet be portionless;
And days must come with hours all retrieving
The dreary years of unfound happiness;
And he whose share of Love is not yet ready,
Whose measure of its joy is yet unknown,
Need only keep his Faith both sure and steady
To come sometime, somewhere, into his own!