About: A Hidden Life and Other Poems by George MacDonald
A HIDDEN LIFE AND OTHER POEMS
Produced by Tim Rowe, Ginny Brewer and PG Distributed Proofreaders
A HIDDEN LIFE
And Other Poems
GEORGE MAC DONALD
Author of
"Within and Without, a Dramatic Poem;" "David Elginbrod;""Phantasies;" etc.
Ma poi ch' i' fui appie d' un colle giunto, La ove terminava quella valle,Che m' avea di paura il cuor compunto; Guarda' in alto, e vidi le sue spalleVestite gia de' raggi del pianeta, Che mena dritto altrui per ogni calle.
DELL'INFERNO, Cant. I.
1864.
To My Father.
I.
Take of the first fruits, Father, of thy care, Wrapped in the fresh leaves of my gratitude Late waked for early gifts ill understood;Claiming in all my harvests rightful share,Whether with song that mounts the joyful air I praise my God; or, in yet deeper mood, Sit dumb because I know a speechless good,Needing no voice, but all the soul for prayer. Thou hast been faithful to my highest need;And I, thy debtor, ever, evermore,Shall never feel the grateful burden sore. Yet most I thank thee, not for any deed, But for the sense thy living self did breedThat fatherhood is at the great world's core.
II.
All childhood, reverence clothed thee, undefined, As for some being of another race; Ah! not with it departing grown apaceAs years have brought me manhood's loftier mindAble to see thy human life behind The same hid heart, the same revealing face My own dim contest settling into graceOf sorrow, strife, and victory combined. So I beheld my God, in childhood's morn,A mist, a darkness, great, and far apart,Moveless and dim I scarce could say _Thou art_: My manhood came, of joy and sadness born Full soon the misty dark, asunder torn,Revealed man's glory, God's great human heart.
G.M.D. Jr.
Algiers, April, 1857.
CONTENTS.
A HIDDEN LIFETHE HOMELESS GHOSTABU MIDJANAN OLD STORYA BOOK OP DREAMSTO AURELIO SAFFISONNETA MEMORIAL OF AFRICAA GIFTTHE MAN OF SONGSBETTER THINGSTHE JOURNEYPRAYERRESTTO A.J. SCOTTLIGHTTO A.J. SCOTTWERE I A SKILFUL PAINTERIF I WERE A MONK, AND THOU WERT A NUNBLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTHTHE HILLSI KNOW WHAT BEAUTY ISI WOULD I WERE A CHILDTHE LOST SOULA DREAM WITHIN A DREAMAFTER AN OLD LEGENDTHE TREE'S PRAYERA STORY OF THE SEA SHOREMY HEARTO DO NOT LEAVE METHE HOLY SNOWDROPSTO MY SISTERO THOU OF LITTLE FAITHLONGINGA BOY'S GRIEFTHE CHILD MOTHERLOVE'S ORDEALA PRAYER FOR THE PASTFAR AND NEARMY ROOMSYMPATHYLITTLE ELFIETHE THANK OFFERINGTHE BURNT OFFERINGFOUR SONNETSSONNETEIGHTEEN SONNETSDEATH AND BIRTH
EARLY POEMS.
LONGINGMY EYES MAKE PICTURESDEATHLESSONS FOR A CHILDHOPE DEFERREDTHE DEATH OF THE OLD YEARA SONG IN A DREAMA THANKSGIVING
THE GOSPEL WOMEN.
THE MOTHER MARYTHE WOMAN THAT CRIED IN THE CROWDTHE MOTHER OF ZEBEDEE'S CHILDRENTHE SYROPHENICIAN WOMANTHE WIDOW OF NAINTHE WOMAN WHOM SATAN HAD BOUNDTHE WOMAN WHO CAME BEHIND HIM IN THE CROWDTHE WIDOW WITH THE TWO MITESTHE WOMEN WHO MINISTERED UNTO HIMPILATE'S WIFETHE WOMAN OF SAMARIAMART MAGDALENETHE WOMAN IN THE TEMPLEMARTHAMARYTHE WOMAN THAT WAS A SINNER
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90