"Their sweet South left too soon, among the trees

The birds, bewildered, flutter to and fro;

For them no green boughs wait, their memories
Of last year's April had deceived them so.

"From 'neath a sheltering pine some tender buds
Looked out, and saw the hollows filled with snow;
On such a frozen world they closed their eyes;

When spring is cold, how can the blossoms blow?” She watched the homeless birds, the slow, sad spring, The barren fields, and shivering, naked trees: "Thus God has dealt with me, his child," she said,"I wait my spring-time, and am cold like these.

"To them will come the fulness of their time;

Their spring, though late, will make the meadows fair; Shall I, who wait like them, like them be blest?

I am His own,-doth not my Father care?"

Louise Chandler Moulton [1835-1908]

EASTER

I GOT me flowers to straw Thy way,

I got me boughs off many a tree;

But Thou wast up by break of day,

And brought'st Thy sweets along with Thee.

Yet though my flowers be lost, they say
A heart can never come too late;
Teach it to sing Thy praise this day,
And then this day my life shall date.

Unknown

A DIVINE RAPTURE

E'EN like two little bank-dividing brooks,

That wash the pebbles with their wanton streams, And having ranged and searched a thousand nooks, Meet both at length in silver-breasted Thames, Where in a greater current they conjoin:

So I my Best-belovèd's am; so He is mine.

"If I Could Shut the Gate"

E'en so we met; and after long pursuit,
E'en so we joined; we both became entire;
No need for either to renew a suit,

For I was flax, and He was flames of fire:

Our firm-united souls did more than twine; So I my Best-belovèd's am; so He is mine.

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If all those glittering Monarchs, that command
The servile quarters of this earthly ball,
Should tender in exchange their shares of land,
I would not change my fortunes for them all:
Their wealth is but a counter to my coin:
The world's but theirs; but my Belovèd's mine.
Francis Quarles [1592-1644]

"IF I COULD SHUT THE GATE AGAINST
MY THOUGHTS".

IF I could shut the gate against my thoughts,
And keep out sorrow from this room within,

Or memory could cancel all the notes

Of my misdeeds, and I unthink my sin: How free, how clear, how clean my soul should lie, Discharged of such a loathsome company.

Or were there other rooms within my heart
That did not to my conscience join so near,
Where I might lodge the thoughts of sin apart,

That I might not their clamorous crying hear; What peace, what joy, what ease should I possess, Freed from their horrors that my soul oppress.

But, O my Saviour, who my refuge art,

Let Thy dear mercies stand 'twixt them and me, And be the wall to separate my heart

So that I may at length repose me free;

That peace, and joy, and rest may be within,

And I remain divided from my sin.

John Daniel [fl. 1625]

HIS LITANY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

IN the hour of my distress,
When temptations me oppress,

And when I my sins confess,

Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When I lie within my bed,
Sick at heart and sick in head,
And with doubts discomforted,

Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the house doth sigh and weep,
And the world is drowned in sleep,
Yet mine eyes the watch do keep,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the artless doctor sees
No one hope, but of his fees,
And his skill runs on the lees,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When his potion and his pill,
His, or none, or little skill,
Meet for nothing, but to kill,

Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the passing-bell doth toll,
And the furies in a shoal
Come to fright a parting soul,

Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the tapers now burn blue,
And the comforters are few,

And that number more than true,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the priest his last hath prayed,

And I nod to what is said

'Cause my speech is now decayed,

Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

To Keep a True Lent

When, God knows, I'm tossed about
Either with despair or doubt,

Yet, before the glass be out,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the tempter me pursu'th
With the sins of all my youth,
And half damns me with untruth,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the flames and hellish cries
Fright mine ears and fright mine eyes,
And all terrors me surprise,

Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

When the Judgment is revealed,
And that opened which was sealed,

When to Thee I have appealed,

Sweet Spirit, comfort me!

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Robert Herrick [1591-1674]

TO KEEP A TRUE LENT

Is this a fast, to keep

The larder lean,

And clean

From fat of veals and sheep?

Is it to quit the dish

Of flesh, yet still

To fill

The platter high with fish?

Is it to fast an hour,

Or ragged to go,

Or show

A downcast look, and sour?

No; 'tis a fast to dole

Thy sheaf of wheat

And meat

Unto the hungry soul.

Love's sweetest mark, laud's highest theme, man's most de

sired light,

To love Him life, to leave Him death, to live in Him delight.
He mine by gift, I His by debt, thus each to other due,
First friend He was, best friend He is, all times will try Him

true.

Though young, yet wise, though small, yet strong; though man, yet God He is;

As wise He knows, as strong He can, as God He loves to bliss. His knowledge rules, His strength defends, His love doth cherish all;

His birth our joy, His life our light, His death our end of thrall.

Alas! He weeps, He sighs, He pants, yet do His angels sing; Out of His tears, His sighs and throbs, doth bud a joyful

spring.

Almighty Babe, whose tender arms can force all foes to fly, Correct my faults, protect my life, direct me when I die! Robert Southwell [1561?-1595]

AN UPPER CHAMBER

I CAME into the City and none knew me;
None came forth, none shouted "He is here!"
Not a hand with laurel would bestrew me,
All the way by which I drew anear-
Night my banner, and my herald Fear.

But I knew where one so long had waited

In the low room at the stairway's height,
Trembling lest my foot should be belated,

Singing, sighing for the long hours' flight
Towards the moment of our dear delight.

I came into the City when you

hailed me

Saviour, and again your chosen Lord:-
Not one guessing what it was that failed me,
While along the way as they adored
Thousands, thousands, shouted in accord.