Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.

II. Prayer and Aspiration

Desire

Matthew Arnold (1822–1888)

THOU, who dost dwell alone;

Thou, who dost know thine own;

Thou, to whom all are known,

From the cradle to the grave,—

Save, O, save!

From the world’s temptations;

From tribulations;

From that fierce anguish

Wherein we languish;

From that torpor deep

Wherein we lie asleep,

Heavy as death, cold as the grave,—

Save, O, save!

When the soul, growing clearer,

Sees God no nearer;

When the soul, mounting higher,

To God comes no nigher;

But the arch-fiend Pride

Mounts at her side,

Foiling her high emprize,

Sealing her eagle eyes,

And, when she fain would soar,

Make idols to adore;

Changing the pure emotion

Of her high devotion,

To a skin-deep sense

Of her own eloquence;

Strong to deceive, strong to enslave,—

Save, O, save!

From the ingrained fashion

Of this earthly nature

That mars thy creature;

From grief, that is but passion;

From mirth, that is but feigning;

From tears, that bring no healing;

From wild and weak complaining;—

Thine old strength revealing,

Save, O, save!

From doubt, where all is double,

Where wise men are not strong;

Where comfort turns to trouble;

Where just men suffer wrong;

Where sorrow treads on joy;

Where sweet things soonest cloy;

Where faiths are built on dust;

Where love is half mistrust,

Hungry, and barren, and sharp as the sea;

O, set us free!

O, let the false dream fly

Where our sick souls do lie,

Tossing continually.

O, where thy voice doth come,

Let all doubts be dumb;

Let all words be mild;

All strife be reconciled;

All pains beguiled.

Light brings no blindness;

Love no unkindness;

Knowledge no ruin;

Fear no undoing,

From the cradle to the grave,—

Save, O, save!