Bees in Amber | Page 8

HUNGRY SEA
Down to the sea, the hungry sea,
O the sea is hungry ever!?Seeking food for the bairns and me,?Seeking food in the hungry sea;
O the sea is hungry ever!
My man and my lad--their bones are white,
O the sea is hungry ever!?Into the maw of the grim black night,?Their hearts were bold and their faces bright;
O the sea is hungry ever!
The sun was red and the clouds were black,
O the sea is hungry ever!?And the sky was heavy with flying wrack,?When forth they fared,--and they came not back;
O the sea is hungry ever!
Forth they fared and they came not back,
O the sea is hungry ever!?O, I fear the sea, and I hate the sea,?That took my man and my lad from me;
O the sea is hungry ever!
WE THANK THEE, LORD
We thank Thee, Lord,?That of Thy tender grace,?In our distress?Thou hast not left us wholly comfortless.
We thank Thee, Lord,?That of Thy wondrous might,?Into our night?Thou hast sent down the glory of the Light.
We thank Thee, Lord,?That all Thy wondrous ways,?Through all our days,?Are Wisdom, Right, and Ceaseless Tenderness.
THE VAIL
He only sees both sides of that dark vail?That hangs before men's eyes--?He only. It is well!?Hope ever stands unseen?Behind the screen,?For knowledge would bring Hope to sudden death,?And cloud the present with the coming ill.?I would lie still, Dear Lord,?I would lie still,?And stay my troubled heart on Thee,?Obedient to Thy will.
NO EAST OR WEST
In Christ there is no East or West,?In Him no South or North,?But one great Fellowship of Love?Throughout the whole wide earth.
In Him shall true hearts everywhere?Their high communion find.?His service is the golden cord?Close-binding all mankind.
Join hands then, Brothers of the Faith,?Whatever your race may be!--?Who serves my Father as a son?Is surely kin to me.
In Christ now meet both East and West,?In Him meet South and North,?All Christly souls are one in Him,?Throughout the whole wide earth.
THE DAY--THE WAY
Not for one single day?Can I discern my way,
But this I surely know,--?Who gives the day,?Will show the way,
So I securely go.
LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY
O God, within whose sight?All men have equal right
To worship Thee.?Break every bar that holds?Thy flock in diverse folds!?Thy Will from none withholds
Full liberty.
Lord, set Thy Churches free?From foolish rivalry!
Lord, set us free!?Let all past bitterness?Now and for ever cease,?And all our souls possess
Thy charity!
Lord, set the people free!?Let all men draw to Thee
In unity!?Thy temple courts are wide,?Therein let all abide?In peace, and side by side,
Serve only Thee!
God, grant us now Thy peace!?Bid all dissensions cease!
God, send us peace!?Peace in True Liberty,?Peace in Equality,?Peace and Fraternity,
God, send us peace!
FREEMEN
Let no man stand between my God and me!?I claim a Free man's right?Of intercourse direct with Him,?Who gave me Freedom with the air and light.?God made me free.--?Let no man stand between?Me and my liberty!
We need no priest to tell us God is Love.--?Have we not eyes to see,?And minds to apprehend, and hearts?That leap responsive to His Charity??God's gifts are free.--?Let no man stand between?Us and His liberty!
We need no priest to point a way to heaven.--?God's heaven is here,--is there,--?Man's birthright, with the light and air,--?"God is His own and best interpreter."?His ways are free.--?Let no man stand between?Us and His liberty!
Let no man strive to rob us of this right!?For this, from age to age,?Our fathers did a mighty warfare wage,?And, by God's help, we'll keep our heritage!?God says--"Be Free!"?And we,--?"NO MAN SHALL STAND BETWEEN?OUR SONS AND LIBERTY!"
THE LONG ROAD
Long the road,
Till Love came down it!?Dark the life,
Till Love did crown it!?Dark the life,
And long the road,?Till Love came
To share the load!?For the touch
Of Love transfigures?All the road
And all its rigours.?Life and Death,?Love's touch transfigures.?Life and Death
And all that lies?In between,?Love sanctifies.?Once the heavenly spark is lighted,?Once in love two hearts united,?Nevermore
Shall aught that was be?As before.
THE CHRIST
The good intent of God became the Christ.?And lived on earth--the Living Love of God,?That men might draw to closer touch with heaven,?Since Christ in all the ways of man hath trod.
THE BALLAD OF LOST SOULS
With the thirty pieces of silver,?They bought the Potter's Field;?For none would have the blood-money?And the interest it might yield.
The Place of Blood for the Price of Blood,?And that was meet, I ween,?For there they would bury the dead who died?In frowardness and sin.
And the first man they would bury there?Was Judas Iscariot;?And that was as dreadful a burying?As ever was, I wot.
For the sick earth would not keep him;?Each time it thrust him out,?And they that would have buried him?Stood shuddering round about.
And others they would bury?In that unhallowed spot,?But honest earth would none of them,?Because of Iscariot.
And oh, it was a fell, fell place,?With dead black trees all round,?And a quag that boiled and writhed and coiled?Where had been solid ground.
For every tree that stood there,?And the green grass every blade,?Shrivelled and died on every side,?Whenever the price was