Poems (Blake)/The Answered Prayer
For works with similar titles, see The Answered Prayer.
THE ANSWERED PRAYER.
I knew a pair of brave, brown eyes, So rich in life, so bright in glee,That naught beneath God's radiant skies Was dearer than their light to me: Full of love and winning wild, Blithe and gay and undefiled, "Lord!" we prayed, "so keep our child!'
I knew a pair of large, dark eyes Soft smiling in a little face,So sweetly sad, so gravely wise, So full of childhood's pensive grace As they drooped beneath our kiss: "God!" we asked, "O grant him this, Joy and peace and purest bliss!"
I knew a pair of clear blue eyes So lately from the angels riven,The light they brought from Paradise Still lent a gleam to earth of heaven: "Father!" cried we, "keep afar Through life's battle stain and scar, Grief to cloud, or sin to mar."······This did we ask, as day's fair dawn Crept smiling from the night's dark breast,And this, when shadowy eve had drawn Its darkling vail across the west: He to whom the prayer had flown Answered, bending from His throne, Not in our way, but His own!
Brave, brown eyes will never know Shade of sin, or tear of woe; Soft, dark eyes will gladly shine, Full of light of love divine; Sweet, blue eyes with angel smile Hail the heaven they left awhile. "For sweeping through the silence dim,
The while we stood with reverent breath, God's angels took them up to Him,Beyond the gates of sin and death! God, who holds our darlings there, Teach our weak, weak hearts to bear This, Thy answer to our prayer!