I saw beneath its native stem
The sever’d Vine-branch layed,
The dews were fresh upon its cheek,
The sun-beam on its head.
The new-blown flower did not droop,
The leaf was green and fair,
Vigour and life were in its veins,
As if it flourish’d there.
A little while the Vine-branch liv’d,
The smiles of heaven sharing,
A little while it seemed as blest
As those the stem was bearing.
But still the sun-beam shone in vain,
The Vine-branch felt it not,
The summer grew, the winter came,
And the Vine-branch bore no fruit.
So fades and falls the promise fair
Of poor mortality,
So perishes the boast of earth,
When parted, Lord, from thee.
There seems a bud, there seems a flower,
Our wisdom’s specious dress,
The brilliant, but unlasting guise
Of nature’s helplessness.
But ill shall the rootless virtue stand
Temptation’s trying hour,
And soon shall the feeble spirit bend
To earth’s delusive power.
Brief as the bloom of the rootless branch
The boast of earth shall be,
Nor truth, nor peace in the bosom bloom,
Till united, Lord, to thee.
(Caroline Fry)
More Poetry from Caroline Fry:
Caroline Fry Poems based on Topics: Heaven, Flowers, Life, Summer, Smiling, Fairness, Nature, Promise, Truth, Winter, Power- Patience (Caroline Fry Poems)
- On the Love of God (Caroline Fry Poems)
- Unto Him That Loved Us And Washed Us From Our Sins (Caroline Fry Poems)
- In Answer To A Remark (Caroline Fry Poems)
- On Hearing It Said There Is No Satisfactory Happiness On Earth (Caroline Fry Poems)
- Easter Thoughts (Caroline Fry Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Life Poems, Nature Poems, Heaven Poems, Fairness Poems, Flowers Poems, Smiling Poems, Power Poems, Truth Poems, Summer Poems, Winter Poems, Promise PoemsBased on Keywords: helplessness, perishes, sun-beam, rootless, new-blown, layed, vine-branch