Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IV. The Higher Life. 1904. | | | | II. Prayer and Aspiration | | Desire | | Matthew Arnold (1822–1888) |
| | | THOU, who dost dwell alone; | |
| Thou, who dost know thine own; | |
| Thou, to whom all are known, | |
| From the cradle to the grave,— | |
| Save, O, save! | 5 |
| |
| From the world’s temptations; | |
| From tribulations; | |
| From that fierce anguish | |
| Wherein we languish; | |
| From that torpor deep | 10 |
| Wherein we lie asleep, | |
| Heavy as death, cold as the grave,— | |
| Save, O, save! | |
| |
| When the soul, growing clearer, | |
| Sees God no nearer; | 15 |
| When the soul, mounting higher, | |
| To God comes no nigher; | |
| But the arch-fiend Pride | |
| Mounts at her side, | |
| Foiling her high emprize, | 20 |
| Sealing her eagle eyes, | |
| And, when she fain would soar, | |
| Make idols to adore; | |
| Changing the pure emotion | |
| Of her high devotion, | 25 |
| To a skin-deep sense | |
| Of her own eloquence; | |
| Strong to deceive, strong to enslave,— | |
| Save, O, save! | |
| |
| From the ingrained fashion | 30 |
| Of this earthly nature | |
| That mars thy creature; | |
| From grief, that is but passion; | |
| From mirth, that is but feigning; | |
| From tears, that bring no healing; | 35 |
| From wild and weak complaining;— | |
| Thine old strength revealing, | |
| Save, O, save! | |
| |
| From doubt, where all is double, | |
| Where wise men are not strong; | 40 |
| Where comfort turns to trouble; | |
| Where just men suffer wrong; | |
| Where sorrow treads on joy; | |
| Where sweet things soonest cloy; | |
| Where faiths are built on dust; | 45 |
| Where love is half mistrust, | |
| Hungry, and barren, and sharp as the sea; | |
| O, set us free! | |
| |
| O, let the false dream fly | |
| Where our sick souls do lie, | 50 |
| Tossing continually. | |
| O, where thy voice doth come, | |
| Let all doubts be dumb; | |
| Let all words be mild; | |
| All strife be reconciled; | 55 |
| All pains beguiled. | |
| Light brings no blindness; | |
| Love no unkindness; | |
| Knowledge no ruin; | |
| Fear no undoing, | 60 |
| From the cradle to the grave,— | |
| Save, O, save! | | | | |
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