Prince Amadis: 151ÔÇô160
CLI.
Tears shed for others are waters that rise
To their levels above in the grace-giving skies:
Time wasted for others is paid back at last,
Counted out in eternities, future and past.
CLII.
Though thy life may be fretful and swift, yet delay
To soothe the least sorrow that comes in thy way;
For sympathy, happily choosing its times,
Cheers the long nights of grief with its beautiful chimes.
CLIII.
More tall than the stars is the wonderful height
Of unselfishness, always reposing in light,
On whose glorious summits the night falleth never,
But the seen Face of God is its sunrise for ever.
CLIV.
How great is the gift to have sisters and brothers!
They only who lose them can estimate mothers!
For to hearts, where the world would fain fling its first spell,
A home can be almost religion as well.
CLV.
Souls only sell dear in the markets of heaven,
And on earth for hearts only high prices are given;
Men who love while they suffer, and work while they grieve,
Heaven and earth in their one web of life interweaves.
CLVI.
They only who love, and love meekly, are blest;
And true love is nothing but self dispossessed;
They only who labor at last win the prize;
They only who sorrow can ever be wise.
CLVII.
All these beauties are toys to thee, Prince Amadis!
Thy chase is not life; it was ne'er meant for this.
A schoolboy at play will outweigh thy worth soon,
If he gives and takes kindly one whole afternoon.
CLVIII.
Hast thou got any purse in the which thou canst treasure
The fine glowing sunsets that give thee such pleasure?
Do the angels in heaven hoard the scents of the flowers,
Or photograph all the fair lights of the hours?
CLIX.
The secrets of children, who whisper and chatter,
Are worth half a score of the secrets of matter,
Unless they can make us still more the world's master,
To sail our ships safer, or go our way faster.
CLX.
If too much is made of them, earth, sun, and moon
Are but sights at a theatre, songs out of tune;
And the round stars are only like hoops up on high,
Which child-poets trundle through infinite sky.
Tears shed for others are waters that rise
To their levels above in the grace-giving skies:
Time wasted for others is paid back at last,
Counted out in eternities, future and past.
CLII.
Though thy life may be fretful and swift, yet delay
To soothe the least sorrow that comes in thy way;
For sympathy, happily choosing its times,
Cheers the long nights of grief with its beautiful chimes.
CLIII.
More tall than the stars is the wonderful height
Of unselfishness, always reposing in light,
On whose glorious summits the night falleth never,
But the seen Face of God is its sunrise for ever.
CLIV.
How great is the gift to have sisters and brothers!
They only who lose them can estimate mothers!
For to hearts, where the world would fain fling its first spell,
A home can be almost religion as well.
CLV.
Souls only sell dear in the markets of heaven,
And on earth for hearts only high prices are given;
Men who love while they suffer, and work while they grieve,
Heaven and earth in their one web of life interweaves.
CLVI.
They only who love, and love meekly, are blest;
And true love is nothing but self dispossessed;
They only who labor at last win the prize;
They only who sorrow can ever be wise.
CLVII.
All these beauties are toys to thee, Prince Amadis!
Thy chase is not life; it was ne'er meant for this.
A schoolboy at play will outweigh thy worth soon,
If he gives and takes kindly one whole afternoon.
CLVIII.
Hast thou got any purse in the which thou canst treasure
The fine glowing sunsets that give thee such pleasure?
Do the angels in heaven hoard the scents of the flowers,
Or photograph all the fair lights of the hours?
CLIX.
The secrets of children, who whisper and chatter,
Are worth half a score of the secrets of matter,
Unless they can make us still more the world's master,
To sail our ships safer, or go our way faster.
CLX.
If too much is made of them, earth, sun, and moon
Are but sights at a theatre, songs out of tune;
And the round stars are only like hoops up on high,
Which child-poets trundle through infinite sky.
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