km '\m^ MF^DITATTONS ilNT VPRSK vSSIK PlliRJDGF 9<:>irnJWlCK ■'^^^^^^^^j^^^^i^^lf,:^;. Class rP'56^ J Copyright}]"-/^/ ^ COPYRIGHT DEPOSm MEDITATIONS IN VERSE MEDITATIONS IN VERSE JESSIE ELDRIDGE SOUTHWICK u BOSTON : MASSACHUSETTS MCMXIII Copyrighted, 1913, by Jessie Eldridge Southwick THE EVERETT PRESS : BOSTON DEC 30 1913 €;ci.An580bO CONTENTS I To Christ 4 II Peace 5 III Philosophy 6 IV Faith 7 V The Way to Life 8 VI Aspiration 9 VII Liberty 10 VIII Will 11, 12 IX Truth and Love 13 X Superman 14 XI Truth iS> 16 XII Love Universal 17 [3] TO CHRIST O CHRIST! Thou Heaven-Born Mystery, whose life Was ever sweet with that great love divine Which gave to other souls that still were sick With sin, and doubt, and greed, and wan despair, A ray of light from the Great Source of all — Whose Mighty Purpose they misunderstood, Because they knew not how free-will in man Could still be rounded by the Will of God, Whose sweep of universal tendency Forever makes for good of all, while yet Permitting individual strength and want Its full indulgence, till it learn at last That heaven is love; and hell, love's loss! Those who, like Thee, forgive are saviors of the world ! [4] II PEACE O PEACE! thou dove divine, whose olive- branch Does ever seem to lure us on our way. Hopeful that some great day, Or near or far, in future destiny We may attain thy purity and grace And, worthy to meet God face to face. We may be called His children for the good We do to others, banish fear. And hate, and falsehood, so that then No drums may beat, nor bugle call to arms Because the nations fiercely rush to war. Destroying millions who perhaps have never known the cause. Save to defend their country's honor from defeat. O Peace, teach us to live by thy blest spirit's light. is] Ill PHILOSOPHY PHILOSOPHY! thou sweet, consoling guide, Whose soft, harmonious thoughts now weave the spell Of Peace within my soul, I see That through the vast, perplexing web of life Or bright, or dark, there still persists A thread of light, which is forevermore The aspiration of the soul toward good. And, surely, this continuous strain of gold Whose gleam distinguishes the truth from lies Will win our hearts at last to mutual aid. And educate our willing hands to shape Each flower in the growing wreath of life To just conformity with all the plan That makes for human happiness and love! [6] IV FAITH FAITH IS not credulous belief of aught That may be taught by ignorance, nor vain Delusion, born of fancied need and naught But broken aspiration, or desire, or pain. Faith is the soul's eternal light of truth, By which we see the meaning of God's Plan. For 't is of reason a concentrate sum, Catching the fore-gleams of the Truth that shines In realms of thought which logic finds at last By slow degrees; but ever, — as the sun Glints in the atom, — so faith feels Within itself the portrait of that Truth Which comes all throbbing from the Heart of God — And to the obedient spirit gives its Light! [7] THE WAY TO LIFE THE way to Life seems hard, till we per- ceive That all the ills we dread are but our spur, To make of all the forces we now fear Means to arouse the soul to mighty work; The godlike power to do, and dare, and will! For — ever was it so — we sleep, and dream Of noble things, until some shock, or strain Of tempest in the soul's great sphere. Or pain which calls the deeps to rise and still The cry that ever from our childish lips Would spring, calls us with clarion note and shouts, "On to the goal! The quickened sense of being, The keen perception of the world's great need, — This is the waking of the Life Immortal!" [8] VI ASPIRATION OH, \ is the Voice of God, this aspiration! The needle pointing to the pole of truth! The magnetism of its trembling life Thrills with the meaning of unnumbered lives Ever more clearly, as the soul ascends. Sensing the destiny divine of man! "O but to know the End from the Beginning?'* Nay; that would be to make the ray the sun! Still be content to know the path of light Leads to the radiant Center whence it springs; And comes to us as sunlight steals to seed, Luring them up to meet the bright above. So to fulfil their true design, and come To minister in beauty to the world! [9] VII LIBERTY O FREEDOM! when we see thy sacred name Used to confirm the unbridled, selfish whim That makes for ill through its destroying power Of passion, or of greed, and vain desire For that which is of evanescent life, Then do we know that false pretense does gild Low, hurtful license with thy name divine! Far up the heights of human love and truth Soundeth the note of Libert}^ sublime ! Clear from those realms of light cometh the call,— '*Ye who aspire to Freedom must attain Triumph o'er self; and, climbing Duty's rocks, Come to the sphere where all abide in Law: That Law which binds the Whole to serve each one!" lO] VIII WILL *T WILL!" the spirit saith; and lo! the life X Is lifted from the sordid power of things. Both Love and Truth fly swiftly to its aid. Then comes the moment of unthinking act, Or word that seems the bitterness of fate, Till all the spirit sought to be seems vain. Now watch! The foe that lurking to surprise Has caused the pain of baffled purpose Flings a sneer, and says to the discouraged one, "'So! Wherefore strive .f^ You see, endeavors naught avail!" Now rise and conquer! you who once have failed. Yea, tho' the failure seem a twice-told tale! Only the giving up is failure! See! Out of failures comes the slow-built strength Of many eff^orts — till the goal be won [II] E'en death 's of no account! For, if the soul yields not, tho' beaten down 'T will rise triumphant in eternal light, Freed from the pall that, ever round it swathed, Seemed to obscure the light. Faith! — Faith, my fellow traveller! Faith will win the light! Will is the godlike power of man; And faith, man's light from God! [12] IX TRUTH AND LOVE THERE is a way of truth By which we climb to God. His Will is Truth, And ours it is to find. Forever shall we rise By deeds of love To heaven — where God abides, For God is Love! Are truth and love but one? What 's love that is not true ? What truth is ever known That is not for the sake of love For God or Man? Then truth and love forever heal The wounds of sin and hate, So doth the human spirit feel That Love and Truth are great. [13] X SUPERMAN VISION of man divine, incarnate God, Thou to my soul appearest great As I behold the triumph on thy brow, Where sit serene self-conquest and pure joy. The power of certain purpose lights thine eye, The poise of wisdom, and perception clear. The gentleness of universal sympathy. And radiance of love that draweth near To God, Whom thou dost imitate In lawful action and harmonious thought; For thy free-will ajflirms itself in Him Who gave it to thee as thy supreme power To make or mar the beauty of the world! [141 XI TRUTH THE way of Truth is fair, But hard to find. In its pure light must dwell The heart of one Who by this radiance seeks To educate The elements that make For good of all. The truth! How precious is That word to man! He finds not peace in any Other way; For only that brings Light And Liberty. The light of Truth is seen by one Who, pure of heart, Would ask no freedom for himself Save right; [IS] The right that makes for Universal good. Then Truth is faithfulness unto The right; The right is what the mind Of man conceives When it is held obedient to The Will Divine, Which tends to universal Harmony and Good. i6] XII LOVE UNIVERSAL 10VE is the mystery of life and God; J His tender Love shines in the dewdrop, there ! It pulses in the harmonies of all the spheres; It breathes in perfume of the glorious rose. The tendency of all His Laws we know Is toward the happiness and strength of man, Who, tho' he suffer in opposing good, Knows that the laws of nature serve his soul. The hand of Supreme Love forever holds The stars in tune; it thrills in all the joy Of wholesome life; and e'en when broken law, Or want of brotherhood in man, or pain Of sacrifice which love doth make. Compels the soul to summon all its strength And rise to heights before undreamed; — E'en then we see that Love Divine provides Reward of greater life and purer joy, A recompense for pain. [17] LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 018 407 929 A