He Who Loves The Winter

He Who Loves The Winter

He who loves the winter understands
The blue-white peace of forestlands.

He who walks a swamp-trail, soft with snow
Shall learn a secret which few men know.

He who climbs the contour of a hill
Shall commune with Time if his heart stands still.

He who hears the whir of partridge wings
Shall remember forever a number of things.

He who finds a willow, glowing red,
Shall flame with faith which quickens the dead.

He who loves the winter sufficiently
Shall tower toward heaven like a tall pine tree.

~ Harry Elmore Hurd

From my mother's poetry notebook

Trees In A Storm

Trees In A Storm

O, what must the tall trees
     Think of me for going
Off to find a sheltering place
     When a storm is blowing?

How must all the brave trees
     Wonder at my fright
When the tempest hurls a swift
     Jagged fork of light!

And must not the strong trees
     Laugh at me, perhaps,
In their beautiful delight
     Of the thunder-claps?

Tall and brave and strong trees,
     With your guidance, I
Soon shall meet a storm with arms
     Flung, laughing, to the sky!

~ Elaine V. Emans

From my mother's poetry notebook

The Spearhead Of The Spring

The Spearhead Of The Spring

In all this winter-weary world
     What lifts the heart so high
As the sound of wild geese flying north
     Against a starlit sky?

A warm south wind -- a cloudless night --
     And suddenly far and near,
The beat of wings for Canada
     Across a hemisphere!

Brave as a shower of bugle notes
     You hear their questing call --
And the leader's answer, bold and deep,
     Ringing over all!

Northward swinging through the night,
     Flying wing to wing,
A thousand miles they launch their flight --
     The Spearhead of the Spring!

~ Douglas Cary Wendell

From my mother's poetry notebook

Faith Is A Living Power

Faith Is A Living Power

Faith is a living power from heaven
Which grasps the promise God has given;
Securely fixed on Christ, alone,
A trust that cannot be overthrown.

Faith finds in Christ whatever we need
To save and strengthen, guide and feed;
Strong in his grace its joys to share
His cross, in hope his crown to wear.

Faith to the conscience whispers peace;
And bids the mourner's sighing cease;
By faith the children's right we claim
And call upon our Father's name.

Such faith in us, O God, implant,
And to our prayers thy favor grant
In Jesus Christ, thy saving Son,
Who is our font of health alone.

Author Unknown

From My Mother's Poetry Notebook

The Beatitude

The Beatitude

Blessed are the clean in motive,
for they shall find the God of Light.
Blessed are the transparent in thought,
for they shall behold the God of Truth.
Blessed are the unspotted in imagination,
for they shall discern the God of Beauty.
Blessed are the unstained in affection,
for they shall know the God of Love.
Blessed are the blameless in conscience,
for they shall be at home with the God Peace.
Blessed are the holy in word and deed,
for they shall be united with God of Strength.
Blessed are the unblemished in desire,
for they shall rejoice with the God of Hope.

Author Unknown

From My Mother's Poetry Notebook

Opportunity

Opportunity

This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream: --
There spread a cloud of dust along a plain;
And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged
A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords
Shocked upon swords and shields.  A prince's banner
Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by foes,
A craven hung along the battle's edge,
And thought, "Had I a sword of keener steel --
That blue blade that the king's son bears, -- but this
Blunty thing --!" he snapt and flung it from his hand,
And lowering crept away and left the field.
Then came the king's son, wounded, sore bestead,
And weaponless, and saw the broken sword,
Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,
And ran and snatched it, and with battle-shout
Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down,
And saved a great cause that heroic day.

~ Edward Rowland Sill

From My Mother's Poetry Notebook

Faith

Faith

Faith is not merely praying
     Upon your knees at night;
Faith is not merely straying
     Through darkness to the light.

Faith is not merely waiting
     For glory that may be,
Faith is not merely hating
     The sinful ecstasy.

Faith is the brave endeavor
     The splendid enterprise,
The strength to serve, whatever
     Conditions may arise.

~ S. E. Kiser