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Home  »  The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century  »  Thomas Toke Lynch (1818–1871)

Alfred H. Miles, ed. The Sacred Poets of the Nineteenth Century. 1907.

By Memorials of Theophilus Trinal, Student (1850). VII. Proofs

Thomas Toke Lynch (1818–1871)

THE MAN that can and will

In the rough waters swim,

And calmly keep his courage still—

We know the proof of him.

The man by praise unbought,

And free from haste and whim,

Who speaks aloud his inward thought—

We know the proof of him.

The man who hails the morn,

While yet with dazzling rim

The day’s new monarch is unborn—

We know the proof of him.

The man who not for gold

His way will wind and trim,

But rich or poor is just and bold—

We know the proof of him.

The man who will not plead

His weary head and limb,

When love is at its sorest need—

We know the proof of him.

The man who hates excess,

Yet fills up to the brim

His every cup of kindliness—

We know the proof of him.

The man who fears no cry

Of party-bigot grim,

But meekly stands, and sturdily—

We know the proof of him.

The man whose laughter rings

A puzzle to the prim;

Yet who no witty poison flings—

We know the proof of him.

The man who plunging dives

Where others only skim,

And so at real truth arrives—

We know the proof of him.

The man who brightly shines,

Not flickering and dim,

But steady as the heavenly signs—

We know the proof of him.

This man for our behoot,

In body stout or slim,

Hath manfully wrought out the proof—

That God hath wrought in him.