Poems (Henderson)/Humanity

by Elizabeth Henderson

HUMANITY.

Oh! beauteous sunset, purple-fringed
 Thine airy mountains lie,
Thy golden splendors touch with awe,
 The rapt beholder's eye.
But all thy tinted beauty's glow,
 Thy castled spires of airy grace,
Unto the artist eye grow dim,
 Beside a lovely human face.

Oh! lovely lake, thy silver sheen,
 In sunbright glory shines,
Mirrowing the heaven in thy face,
 When waxen lilies bloom.
Oh! firmament of light above,
 Thou far-off maze of blue,
Upon thy starry fields we gaze,
 With rapture ever new.

Oh! History, thy golden leaves,
 We turn in joy and pain,
To read of empires and of kings,
 And battles where like rain,
Poured forth the bullet's leaden freight,
 The cannon's deafening din,
And where thy standard bearers fell,
 Great victories to win.

But all thy murderous battles fought,
 For kings or titled court,
Nor blood-red victories dearly won,
 Were worth one human heart.
For dearer far to Him who trod,
 Our Earth, bearing within,
Humanity's great depth of pain,
 The burden of our sin,
Are outstretched hands of helpful care,
 Unto his suffering poor,
Than roll of drum, cr banner spread,
 Before triumphal War.
The beatings of the human heart,
 He heareth every one,
Nor scorns the simplest charity,
 Unto each other done.