Poems (Cook)/Stanzas (The ruthless hand of savage strife)

by Eliza Cook

For works with similar titles, see Stanzas.

STANZAS.

The ruthless hand of savage strife
 Lays waste the fair and smiling bowers:
The ruby flood of streaming blood
 Darkens the earth and chokes the flowers.
But let the fearful day be past—
 The dust forgets the sanguine stain;
The crush'd blade rises fresh and fast;
 And leaf and flower are there again.

The sunlight gilds the rippling tide—
 The wave is gentle in its flow—
Till some rude bark, in sweeping pride,
 Disturbs it with a cleaving prow.
Foam dashes as the keel speeds on,
 Its chafing track awakes the main;
A moment, and the foam is gone—
 The ruffled waters sleep again.

The clouds may meet in frowning form,
 And gather in the face of day;
The shadow of the scowling storm
 May overcast the noontide ray;
But soon the south wind breathes serene,—
 The bee and bird are on the plain;
The sky forgets the storm hath been—
 And all is joy and light again.

So should our bosoms take the jar
 That thoughtless speech or deed may wake;
The wounds which, soon heal'd, slightly scar,—
 Kept open, fester, bleed, and ache.
Let not the seed of anger live—
 The yielding heart knows least of pain:
'Tis wisest to forget, forgive;
 And dwell in love and peace again.