Poems (Sharpless)/Easter

by Frances M. Sharpless

For works with similar titles, see Easter.

EASTER

The earth lies brown and bare
 Under a dark gray sky,
 And the winds, with an angry cry,
Toss the branches aloft in air.

Oh heart, that grieves to see
 Nought abroad but Winter and sleep,
 Sweet secrets, most sweet and deep,
Hath Mother Nature for thee.

For 'tis but a little while
 Ere thou seest where'er thou look,
 Each in its dear old nook
Thy favorite blossoms smile.

Behold! o'er the wintry earth
 Dawns the glorious Easter morn,
 And in souls that are sorrow-worn
A faith all divine has birth.

Thro' all the ages of men
 Hath rung the despairing cry,
 Behold! how our darlings die!
Shall we never see them again?

Not Nature's whisper might reach
 The mourner so blind and dumb!
 But the gracious message hath come
In the simplest human speech.

"Why weepest thou?" hath Christ said
 Not only once, but now
 To thee; "why weepest thou?
Thy loved ones are not dead.

"No sorrow, whatever it be,
 But that I will help thee bear;
 Child, cast on Me thy care,
Am not I always with thee?"

Oh Father of Spirits! we pray
 That Thy Grace may give us to look
 On Thy written and unwritten Book
Clearly on Easter Day.