Page:Songs before sunrise (IA beforesunrisongs00swinrich).pdf/77

 Shall they and thou not live, The children thou didst give Forth of thine hands, a godlike gift, to death, Through fire of death to pass For her high sake that was Thine and their mother, that gave all you breath? Shall ye not live till time drop dead, O mother, and each her children's consecrated head?

Many brought gifts to take For her love's supreme sake, Life and life's love, pleasure and praise and rest, And went forth bare; but thou, So much once richer, and now Poorer than all these, more than these be blest; Poorer so much, by so much given, Than who gives earth for heaven's sake, not for earth's sake heaven.

Somewhat could each soul save, What thing soever it gave, But thine, mother, what has thy soul kept back? None of thine all, not one, To serve thee and be thy son,