LEST to evil ways I run When I go abroad, Shine about me, like the sun, O my gracious Lord! Make the clouds, with silver glowing, Like a mist of lilies blowing O'er the summer sward; And mine eyes keep thou from being Ever satisfied with seeing, O my light, my Lord! Lest my thoughts on discontent Should in sleep be fed, Make the darkness like a tent Round about my bed: Sweet as honey to the taster, Make my dreams be, O my Master, Sweet as honey, ere it loses Spice of meadow-blooms, While the taster tastes the roses In the golden combs. Lest I live in lowly ease, Or in loftly scorn, Make me like the strawberries That run among the corn; Grateful in the shadows keeping, Of the broad leaves o'er me sweeping; In the gold crop's stead, to render Some small berries, red and tender, Like the blushing morn. Lest that pain to pain be placed -- Weary day to day, Let me sit at good men's feasts When the house is gay: Let my heart beat up to measures Of all comfortable pleasures, Till the morning gray, O'er the eastern hill-tops glancing, Sets the woodlands all to dancing, And scares night away. Lest that I in vain pretense Careless live and move, Heart and mind, and soul and sense, Quicken thou with love! Fold its music over, under, Breath of flute and boom of thunder, Nor make satisfied my hearing As I go on, nearing, nearing Him whose name is Love. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A CHILD'S THOUGHT OF GOD by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING WRITTEN AFTER SWIMMING FROM SESTOS TO ABYDOS by GEORGE GORDON BYRON PICTURES OF MEMORY by ALICE CARY THE WORLD by FREDERICK WILLIAM FABER THE HEATHEN PASS-EE by ARTHUR CLEMENT HILTON TO AMERICA by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON CHILD OF THE ROMANS by CARL SANDBURG TO A YOUNG MAN ON THE PLATFORM OF A SUBWAY EXPRESS by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS |