Sabbath Morning
Welcome, welcome, quiet morning -
I've no task, no toil to-day;
Now the Sabbath morn returning
Says a week has passed away.
Let me think how time is gliding;
Soon the longest life departs;
Nothing human is abiding,
Save the love of humble hearts;
Love to God, and to our neighbor,
Makes our purest happiness;
Vain the wish, the care the labor,
Earth's poor trifles to possess.
Swift my childhood's dreams are passing,
Like the startled doves they fly,
Or bright clouds, each other chasing,
Over yonder quiet sky.
Soon I'll hear earth's flattering story,
Soon its visions will be mine -
Shall I covet wealth and glory?
Shall I bow at pleasure's shrine?
No, my God--one prayer I raise thee,
From my pure and happy heart,
Never let me cease to praise thee-
Never from thy fear depart.
Then, when years have gathered o'er me,
And the world is sunk in shade,
Heaven's bright realm will rise before me,
There my treasure will be laid.
Are you able to tell me the author of Sabbath Morning? My great- great grandmother [b 1825] kept a book of poems some of which I believe she composed as they are signed and dated. Other entries such as Sabbath Morning are simply written out and missing attribution. Transcribing beautiful and uplifting poetry in the mid 1800's was probably a very common practice. I am fortunate to have a copy of the beautiful work.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm sorry the copy where this poem originated from did not give the author credit. However, it is most definitely in the public domain and a very lovely poem.
Deletedurgadav has shared a possible author for the poem, "This morning I’ve been working on something that had as a penciled ‘title’ " Mother’s poetry Eliza Myers Millard born 1825. My impression is that while some of them are ‘hers’, others were copied out. In fact, the first on a hand bound group was title Time, but it includes verses from what you published in your blog as Sabbath Morn." for those of you who are researching poetry of this kind...
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