My spirit revives in the morning breeze,
though it died when the sun went down;
The river is high and the stream is strong,
and the grass is green and tall,
And I fain would think that this world of ours is a good world after all.
The light of passion in dreamy eyes, and a page of truth well read,
The glorious thrill in a heart grown cold of the spirit I thought was dead,
A song that goes to a comrade's heart, and a tear of pride let fall --
And my soul is strong! and the world to me is a grand world after all!
Let our enemies go by their old dull tracks,
and theirs be the fault or shame
(The man is bitter against the world who has only himself to blame) ;
Let the darkest side of the past be dark, and only the good recall;
For I must believe that the world, my dear, is a kind world after all.
It well may be that I saw too plain, and it may be I was blind;
But I'll keep my face to the dawning light,
though the devil may stand behind!
Though the devil may stand behind my back, I'll not see his shadow fall,
But read the signs in the morning stars of a good world after all.
Rest, for your eyes are weary, girl -- you have driven the worst away --
The ghost of the man that I might have been is gone from my heart to-day;
We'll live for life and the best it brings till our twilight shadows fall;
My heart grows brave, and the world, my girl, is a good world after all.
-Henry Lawson
*Sign up for a poem a day (I got this gem a few days ago). It will make your inbox happy. And it will get you in the mood to celebrate National Poetry Month in April!
*Sign up for a poem a day (I got this gem a few days ago). It will make your inbox happy. And it will get you in the mood to celebrate National Poetry Month in April!
your blog is very good......
ReplyDeleteHannah....I wanted to post a comment too:) This is amazing...I love it! I have never read this before....I think I will go back and read it again. Love you-
ReplyDeletelove the poem, hannah...i signed up for the poem a day thingie, too...i fly into shanghai on the 26th to meet up with pete for a few weeks vacation...hope there's pineapple around!
ReplyDeletehope all is well and good with you...jacki