TOMORROW.
O the sweet happy thoughts of tomorrow.—
No shadowy clouds in Life’s sky,
No tears in our eyes, and no mourning,
No trouble in pathway doth lie.
Today may be filled with dark shadows,
Tomorrow they all clear away.
For Hope is the goddess that guides us,
Tomorrow she with us will stay.
Tomorrow may not be as happy
As Hope bids us look for, today.
But if we’ve reached out for Life’s gladness,
Life’s gladness will come in our way.
’Tis better to seek the bright sunshine;
The rainbow comes after the clouds,
And sweeter is life after storm-clouds,
For vanished the gloom that enshrouds.
CONSOLATION.
To my soul a voice hath spoken,
Hath spoken thus to me.
O earth-child be not discouraged,
For God doth pity thee.
Though thy way be filled with shadows,
And Life’s sun obscured by clouds;
Though Life’s road seems leading downward,
And deep darkness all enshrouds;
There is light for thee, and gladness,
And sweet Peace will thee enfold.
In the evening, in the gloaming
Joy unbounded will thee hold.
Never more will desolation
In thy heart find resting place,
If with Love thou meetest troubles,
And with him thou keepest pace.
THE DEAD SUMMER.
In the forest, in the autumn,
’Neath the oaks, and ’neath the beeches,
Are the dead and dying children
Of the mother trees.
And the trees are sighing, moaning,
And the clouds are weeping, weeping
Tears of sorrow for the summer
That is dead, and gone.
E’en the sun his face has hidden
By a veil of clouds and shadows,
All the earth seems grieved and troubled
At the summer’s death.
But the earth has a new carpet,
Gorgeous with its brilliant colors.
For the autumn leaves have covered
And hid the sodden ground.
THERE IS A RIFT IN THE CLOUDS.
Though life may be gloomy,
And dark be thy way,
No light in thy pathway,
Not even one ray.
Look up to the heavens;
There’s a rift in the clouds.
Though life may be warfare,
Thy heart have no peace,
Fear not, thou wilt conquer,
Thy heart have surcease.
Look upward, not downward,
There’s a rift in the clouds.
Though friends may prove faithless,
And false unto thee;
There may be a reason
That thou dost not see.
Have charity always,
And see rift in the clouds.
Thy days may be cloudy,
Thy sun be obscured,
To thee may come evil,
It can be endured.
There’s a rift in the clouds.
Soon the sun will peep through.
Give comfort to some one
Who comes in thy way.
O be not despondent,
Be cheerful alway.
Look up and be happy,
See the rift in the clouds.
May the rift in the clouds
O’erspread all thy sky,
And all birds of ill omen
Away from thee fly.
Seek ever life’s sunshine,
And the rift in life’s clouds.
TO A COMET.
O thou uncanny, fearful thing!
A flaming sword art thou;
Thou may’st be sent by demon’s hand
Among the stars to plough.
Thou’st travelled on for many years,
And still must travel on.
Thy master’s bidding thou must do
Until the victory’s won.
Sometime perhaps thy anger fierce
No more will burn in wrath.
Thou’lt gently fall upon the earth,
Leave blessings in thy path.
Thou art a mystery now to us,
Thy life may be divine—
Although it seems that demons black
Hath part in life like thine.