If This Be All
O
God!
if
this
indeed
be
all
That
Life
can
show
to
me;
If
on
my
aching
brow
may
fall
No
freshening
dew
from
Thee;
If
with
no
brighter
light
than
this
The
lamp
of
hope
may
glow,
And
I
may
only
dream
of
bliss,
And
wake
to
weary
woe;
If
friendship's
solace
must
decay,
When
other
joys
are
gone,
And
love
must
keep
so
far
away,
While
I
go
wandering
on,—
Wandering
and
toiling
without
gain,
The
slave
of
others'
will,
With
constant
care,
and
frequent
pain,
Despised,
forgotten
still;
Grieving
to
look
on
vice
and
sin,
Yet
powerless
to
quell
The
silent
current
from
within,
The
outward
torrent's
swell
While
all
the
good
I
would
impart,
The
feelings
I
would
share,
Are
driven
backward
to
my
heart,
And
turned
to
wormwood
there;
If
clouds
must
EVER
keep
from
sight
The
glories
of
the
Sun,
And
I
must
suffer
Winter's
blight,
Ere
Summer
is
begun;
If
Life
must
be
so
full
of
care,
Then
call
me
soon
to
thee;
Or
give
me
strength
enough
to
bear
My
load
of
misery.
