| William Wilfred Campbell, comp. The Oxford Book of Canadian Verse. 1913. | | | | Van Elsen | | By Frederick George Scott (1861–1944) |
| | | GOD spake three times and saved Van Elsen’s soul; | |
| He spake by sickness first and made him whole; | |
| Van Elsen heard Him not, | |
| Or soon forgot. | |
| |
| God spake to him by wealth; the world outpoured | 5 |
| Its treasures at his feet, and called him Lord; | |
| Van Elsen’s heart grew fat | |
| And proud thereat. | |
| |
| God spake the third time when the great world smiled, | |
| And in the sunshine slew his little child; | 10 |
| Van Elsen like a tree | |
| Fell hopelessly. | |
| |
| Then in the darkness came a voice which said, | |
| ‘As thy heart bleedeth, so my heart hath bled, | |
| As I have need of thee, | 15 |
| Thou needest me.’ | |
| |
| That night Van Elsen kissed the baby feet, | |
| And kneeling by the narrow winding sheet, | |
| Praised Him with fervent breath | |
| Who conquered death. | 20 | | | |
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