Why, When Our Sun Shines Clearest
James Clerk Maxwell 1831 (Edinburgh, Scotland) – 1879 (Cambridge, England)
Why, when our sun shines clearest,
Why, when our hopes seen nearest,
Why, when our life feels dearest,
Rises a secret pain—
Hope's perfect mirror broken—
Shadows of things unspoken-—
Why will not some sure token
Calm us to rest again?
Mixed with all earthly blessing
Lingers the fear distressing—
-Conscience within confessing
Nothing of ours is pure.
Still must such thoughts upbraid us,
Seeking our own to aid us;
God, not ourselves, hath made us;
Trusting in Him we’re sure.
Thus, from our sorrows gleaning
Thoughts of the world’s deep meaning,
Let us rejoice while leaning
Firm on our Father’s arm.
Now are we one for ever,
Joined so that none may sever,
Souls, so united, never
Faint through mischance or harm.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on April 21, 2023
- 37 sec read
- 63 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | XAAXBBBX CCCDEEED CCCFGGGF |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 714 |
Words | 125 |
Stanzas | 3 |
Stanza Lengths | 8, 8, 8 |
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"Why, When Our Sun Shines Clearest" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 10 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/20089/why,-when-our-sun-shines-clearest>.
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