Thou hast done well,perhaps,To lift the bright disguise,And lay the bitter truth Before our shrinking eyes;When evil crawls below What seems so pure and fair,Thine eyes are keen and true To find the serpent there:
And yet--I turn away;
Thy task is not divine -
The evil angels look On earth with eyes like thine.
Thou hast done well,perhaps,To show how closely wound Dark threads of sin and self With our best deeds are found.
How great and noble hearts,Striving for lofty aims,Have still some earthly cord A meaner spirit claims;And yet--although thy task Is well and fairly done,Methinks for such as thou There is a holier one.
Shadows there are,who dwell Among us,yet apart,Deaf to the claim of God,Or kindly human heart;Voices of earth and heaven Call,but they turn away,And Love,through such black night,Can see no hope of day;And yet--our eyes are dim,And thine are keener far -Then gaze till thou canst see The glimmer of some star.
The black stream flows along,Whose waters we despise -Show us reflected there Some fragment of the skies;'Neath tangled thorns and briars,(The task is fit for thee,)Seek for the hidden flowers,We are too blind to see;Then will I thy great gift A crown and blessing call;Angels look thus on men,And God sees good in all!
