Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900.djvu/1079

 HENRY CUST

1861-1917

876. Non Nobis

Not unto us, O Lord, Not unto us the rapture of the day, The peace of night, or love's divine surprise, High heart, high speech, high deeds 'mid honouring eyes; For at Thy word All these are taken away.

Not unto us, O Lord: To us thou givest the scorn, the scourge, the scar, The ache of life, the loneliness of death, The insufferable sufficiency of breath; And with Thy sword Thou piercest very far.

Not unto us, O Lord: Nay, Lord, but unto her be all things given— My light and life and earth and sky be blasted— But let not all that wealth of loss be wasted: Let Hell afford The pavement of her Heaven!

KATHARINE TYNAN HINKSON

b. 1861

877. Sheep and Lambs

All in the April morning, April airs were abroad; The sheep with their little lambs Pass'd me by on the road.