| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900. |
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| 1524. My Old Counselor |
| | | By Gertrude Hall |
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| THE SUN looked from his everlasting skies, | |
| He laughed into my daily-dying eyes; | |
| He said to me, the brutal shining Sun: | |
| “Poor, fretful, hot, rebellious, little one! | |
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| “Thou shalt not find it, yet there shall be truth; | 5 |
| Thou shalt grow old, but yet there shall be youth; | |
| Thou shalt not do, yet great deeds shall be done,— | |
| Believe me, child, I am an old, old Sun! | |
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| “Thou mayst go blind, yet fair will bloom the spring; | |
| Thou mayst not hear them, but the birds will sing; | 10 |
| Thou mayst despair, no less will hope be rife; | |
| Thou must lie dead, but many will have life. | |
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| “Thou mayst declare of love: it is a dream! | |
| Yet long with love, my love, the Earth will teem: | |
| Let not thy foolish heart be borne so low,— | 15 |
| Lift up thy heart! Exult that it is so!” | |
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