The Lesson.
Once when my heart had dared to spurn
The wisdom of His will sublime,
God set a task for me to learn—
To break this stubborn will of mine.
Humbled and penitent, I knelt
At my stern teacher Sorrow’s knee,
And with white lips, heart-stricken spelt
The lesson God had set for me.
Through shades of swiftly gathering night
I strove the tear-stained page to con,
Whilst friends who smiled with morning’s light
Departed as the night came on.
Then with my lesson learned by heart
I turned to face the world again,
And watched each fickle friend depart,
Mine eyes bedimmed with tears of pain.
I scanned each face with wistful eyes
For friendly smile, but there was none,
Then turned away with bitter sigh
And cried: “O God! There is not one,
“Who heedless of the world’s cold scorn
Will step from out the beaten road,
And help with words of kindness born
A comrade sinking ’neath the load.”
