DONE BY THE AUTHOR AT 12 YEARS OLD Speak, Gracious Lord, oh speak; thy Servant hears: For I'm thy Servant, and I'l still be so: Speak words of Comfort in my willing Ears; And since my Tongue is in thy praises slow, And since that thine all Rhetorick exceeds; Speak thou in words, but let me speak in deeds! Nor speak alone, but give me grace to hear What thy caelestial Sweetness does impart; Let it not stop when entred at the Ear But sink, and take deep rooting in my heart. As the parch'd Earth drinks Rain (but grace afford) With such a Gust will I receive thy word. Nor with the Israelites shall I desire Thy heav'nly word by Moses to receive, Lest I should die: but Thou who didst inspire Moses himself, speak thou, that I may live. Rather with Samuel I beseech with tears Speak, gracious Lord, oh speak; thy Servant hears. Moses indeed may say the words but Thou Must give the Spirit, and the Life inspire; Our Love to thee his fervent Breath may blow, But 'tis thy self alone can give the fire: Thou without them may'st speak and profit too; But without thee, what could the Prophets do? They preach the Doctrine, but thou mak'st us do't; They teach the Misteries thou dost open lay; The Trees they water, but thou giv'st the fruit; They to Salvation shew the arduous way, But none but you can give us Strength to walk; You give the Practise, they but give the Talk. Let them be silent then; and thou alone (My God) speak comfort to my ravish'd Ears; Light of my eyes, my Consolation, Speak when thou wilt, for still thy Servant hears. What-ere thou speak'st, let this be understood; Thy greater Glory, and my greater Good! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE ROARING FROST by ALICE MEYNELL DAUGHTERS OF WAR by ISAAC ROSENBERG AFTERMATH by SIEGFRIED SASSOON RIVALRY IN LOVE by WILLIAM WALSH (1663-1707) ODE TO THE CONNECTICUT RIVER by JOSIAS LYNDON ARNOLD RAIN ON FALL NIGHTS by MILDRED TELFORD BARNWELL LETTER TO B.W. PROCTOR, ESQ., FROM OXFORD; MAY, 1825 by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES |