Ah, who shall say What vast expansions shall be ours that day? What transformations of this house of clay, To fit the heavenly mansions and the light of day? Ah, who shall say? But this we know,-- We drop a seed into the ground, A tiny, shapeless thing, shrivelled and dry, And, in the fulness of its time, is seen A form of peerless beauty, robed and crowned Beyond the pride of any earthly queen, Instinct with loveliness, and sweet and rare, The perfect emblem of its Maker's care. This from a shrivelled seed?-- --Then may man hope indeed! For man is but the seed of what he shall be. When, in the fulness of his perfecting, He drops the husk and cleaves his upward way, Through earth's retardings and the clinging clay, Into the sunshine of God's perfect day. No fetters then! No bonds of time or space! But powers as ample as the boundless grace That suffered man, and death, and yet, in tenderness, Set wide the door, and passed Himself before-- As He had promised--to prepare a place. Yea, we may hope! For we are seeds, Dropped into earth for heavenly blossoming. Perchance, when comes the time of harvesting, His loving care May find some use for even a humble tare. We know not what we shall be--only this-- That we shall be made like Him--as He is. WHIRRING WHEELS Lord, when on my bed I lie, Sleepless, unto Thee I'll cry; When my brain works overmuch, Stay the wheels with Thy soft touch. Just a quiet thought of Thee, And of Thy sweet charity,-- Just a little prayer, and then I will turn to sleep again. THE BELLS OF YS When the Bells of Ys rang softly,--softly, _Soft--and sweet--and low_, Not a sound was heard in the old gray town, As the silvery tones came floating down, But life stood still with uncovered head, And doers of ill did good instead, And abroad the Peace of God was shed, _When the bells aloft sang softly--softly, Soft--and sweet--and low,-- The Silver Bells and the Golden Bells,-- Aloft, and aloft, and alow_. And still those Bells ring softly--softly, _Soft--and sweet--and low_. Though full twelve hundred years have gone, Since the waves rolled over the old gray town, Bold men of the sea, in the grip of the flow, Still hear the Bells, as they pass and go, Or win to life with their hearts aglow, _When the Bells below sing softly--softly, Soft--and sweet--and low,-- The Silver Bells and the Golden Bells,-- Alow, and alow, and alow_. O the Mystical Bells, they still ring softly, _Soft--and sweet--and low_,-- For the sound of their singing shall never die In the hearts that are tuned to their melody; And down in the world's wild rush and roar, That sweeps us along to the Opening Door. Hearts still beat high as they beat of yore, _When the Bells sing softly--softly--softly, Soft--and sweet--and low, The Silver Bells and the Golden Bells,-- Alow, and aloft, and alow_. THE LITTLE POEM OF LIFE