Poems (Sharpless)/"Only Waiting"
"ONLY WAITING"
Only waiting till the shadows lengthen o'er the harvest-field,
Where his toil has made the earth all her richest treasures yield;
Only waiting till the voice whispers thro' the golden leaves,
"Come, come home," for this he's waiting, only waiting, 'mid the sheaves.
Where his toil has made the earth all her richest treasures yield;
Only waiting till the voice whispers thro' the golden leaves,
"Come, come home," for this he's waiting, only waiting, 'mid the sheaves.
Many years they've toiled together, he and she he loved so well,
Sowing all their seed together, watching it to fruitage swell;
Sowing seeds of love and patience, each with an unsparing hand;
Wheresoe'er their Master bids them scatter it thro' all the land.
Sowing all their seed together, watching it to fruitage swell;
Sowing seeds of love and patience, each with an unsparing hand;
Wheresoe'er their Master bids them scatter it thro' all the land.
In the morning's early glory, when their hearts with hope beat high,
And all glittering with the dew-drops lay the field before their eye,
When their mutual love was rosy with fond youth's romantic glow,
Hand in hand, clasped tight together, forth they went their seed to sow.
And all glittering with the dew-drops lay the field before their eye,
When their mutual love was rosy with fond youth's romantic glow,
Hand in hand, clasped tight together, forth they went their seed to sow.
As the noon grew warm and heavy with the sun's o'erwhelming heat,
On they travelled, never staying to repose their weary feet;
Hand in hand, clasped all the closer, for the fiery trial near,
Side by side they trod together, sharing every sigh and tear.
On they travelled, never staying to repose their weary feet;
Hand in hand, clasped all the closer, for the fiery trial near,
Side by side they trod together, sharing every sigh and tear.
Thro' the sunshine, thro' the shadow, over flowers, over thorns,
By the graves of loved and lost ones whom the soul in secret mourns,
Hand in hand, still tightly clasping, these two faithful ones went on,
Thro' the nodding sheaves of harvest, onward to the setting sun.
By the graves of loved and lost ones whom the soul in secret mourns,
Hand in hand, still tightly clasping, these two faithful ones went on,
Thro' the nodding sheaves of harvest, onward to the setting sun.
But on one the Master smiling, in His great Love, gently down
The slant rays called very softly, "Come, receive thy labor's crown."
So she left him, lingering, waiting, till the summons come again,
To endure a little longer storm and labor, cloud and rain.
The slant rays called very softly, "Come, receive thy labor's crown."
So she left him, lingering, waiting, till the summons come again,
To endure a little longer storm and labor, cloud and rain.
But the evening sun is setting, tinging all the quivering leaves,
And he's only waiting, standing, waiting, 'mid the harvest sheaves.
Ye whose tears are falling hotly for the loved ye see no more,
Bind your sad hearts up from breaking: they are only gone before.
And he's only waiting, standing, waiting, 'mid the harvest sheaves.
Ye whose tears are falling hotly for the loved ye see no more,
Bind your sad hearts up from breaking: they are only gone before.
And in Heaven ye shall meet them whom ye loved so long on earth,
There their smiles shall be far brighter than they were around your hearth;
For they catch their glorious beauty from the smiling of Our Lord,
Who gives resting after anguish, after labor, the reward.
There their smiles shall be far brighter than they were around your hearth;
For they catch their glorious beauty from the smiling of Our Lord,
Who gives resting after anguish, after labor, the reward.