Nearing the Goal

With eyes aflame, with panting breath, they come—
The runners—every nerve and muscle tense—
Urged forward by a thousand deafening cries,
On, on, they rush, when one, close to the goal,
For but one moment glances back in pride
To note how far he hath outrun the rest.
Alas! tripped by a pebble on the course,
He stumbles, falls, arises, but too late—
Another sweeps ahead with blood-flecked lips
And bursting heart! One final, awful strain,
With superhuman effort, grand, supreme,
He leaps into the air—and falls in death
Across the line—a victor, but at what
A fearful cost! He gave his life, his all!

I ponder o’er this tragedy of days
When Greece was mistress of the world, and say,
"Hast not thou also entered on a race,
My soul, in contest for a `Crown of life,’
A prize thou canst not win except thine all Thou givest!
Then be wise, and watch and pray,
Turn not thine eyes one instant from `the mark,’
For fear thou dash thy foot against some small,
Well-rounded truth, which in thy pride thou hast
O’erlooked, and thus thou stumble, fall, and though
Thou shouldst arise, ‘twould be too late to win!"

—Poems of Dawn, page 154

God’s Will

I asked the New Year for some motto sweet,
Some rule of life by which to guide my feet,
I asked and paused; it answered soft and low,
"God’s will to KNOW."

Will knowledge then suffice? New Year, I cried
But ere the question into silence died
The answer came, "No, this remember too,
God’s will to DO."

Once more I asked, is there still more to tell?
And once again the answer sweetly fell;"
Yes, this one thing all other things above,
God’s will to LOVE."

—Author Unknown