Edmund Spenser

And is there care in heaven? and is there love
In heavenly spirits to these creatures base,
That may compassion of their evils move?
There is: else much more wretched were the case
Of men, then beasts. But o the exceeding grace
Of highest God, that loves his creatures so,
And all his works with mercy doth embrace,
That blessed Angels, he sends to and fro,
To serve to wicked man, to serve his wicked foe.
How oft do they, their silver bowers leave,
To come to succour vs, that succour want?
How oft do they with golden pinions, cleave
The flitting skys, like flying Pursuant,
Against foul fiends to aide vs militant?
They for vs fight, they watch and duly ward,
And their bright Squadrons round about vs plant,
And all for love, and nothing for reward:
O why should heavenly God to man have such regard?

 

H. Ware

Oppression shall not always reign:

There comes a brighter day,

When freedom, burst from every chain,

Shall have triumphant way:

Then right shall over might prevail,

And truth, like hero armed in mail,

Shall hold eternal sway.

 

Henry Vaughan

"Peace"
My Soul, there is a country
Afar beyond the stars,
Where stands a winged Sentry
All skillful in the wars.
There, above noise and danger,
Sweet Peace sits, crown’d with smiles,
And One born in a manger
Commands the beauteous files.
He is thy gracious friend
And (O my Soul awake!)
Did in pure love descend,
To die here for thy sake.
If thou canst get but thither,
There grows the flow’r of peace,
The rose that cannot wither,
Thy fortress, and thy ease.
Leave then thy foolish ranges;
For none can thee secure,
But One, who never changes,
Thy God, thy life, thy cure.

 

George Herbert

Oh, who will give me tears? Come, all ye springs,
Ye clouds and rain dwell in my eyes,
My grief hath need of all the wat'ry things
That nature hath produc'd. Let ev'ry vein
Suck up a river to supply mine eyes,
My weary weeping eyes; too dry for me,
Unless they set new conduits, new supplies
To bear them out, and with my state agree.

 

Gray

But knowledge to their eyes her ample page,

Rich with the spoils of time, did ne'er unroll;

Chill penury repressed their noble rage,

And froze the genial current of the soul.

 

J.M.

 

"God That Forgives"
Though it's hell without,
Yet it's heaven within.
To be at peace with God,
Is to be at war with sin.
In the midst of our trials,
Though the devil condemns,
It's by grace we make haste,
For He's a God that forgives.

 

"Path of Thorns"

Though allured with pedals of roses,
And guided by innocent lips.
The path of thorns always bites in the end,
Although in course it seems bliss.

 

"Shores of God's Rivers"
Don't be afraid when they say bye,
Neither be bitter.
Just look to the grave,
And know who's the victor.
On the shores of God's River,
This side the pearly gates,
Where eternal life reigns,
And death has no quiver.

 

Vanities

Desperation isn't always a face card,
as memory doesn't always come to mind.
With vanities uplifting souls,
And courage not being might,
The Fool stays blind to truth,
And the upright to hindsight.
Yet further on down the road,
Faults find the light.

 

John Milton

Paradise Regained

True Image of the Father, whether throned
In the bosom of bliss, and light of light
Conceiving, or remote from Heaven, enshrined
In fleshly Tabernacle, and human form,
Wandering the Wilderness, whatever place,
Habit, or state, or motion, still expressing
The Son of God, with Godlike force endued
Against the Attempter of thy Fathers Throne,
And Thief of Paradise; him long of old
Thou didst debel, and down from Heaven cast
With all his Army, now thou hast avenged
Supplanted Adam, and by vanquishing
Temptation, hast regained lost Paradise,
And frustrated the conquest fraudulent:
He never more henceforth will dare set foot
In Paradise to tempt; his snares are broke:
For though that seat of earthly bliss be fail'd,
A fairer Paradise is founded now
For Adam and his chosen Sons, whom thou
A Saviour art come down to re-install.
Where they shall dwell secure, when time shall be
Of Tempter and Temptation without fear.
But thou, Infernal Serpent, shalt not long
Rule in the Clouds; like an Autumnal Star
Or Lightning thou shalt fall from Heav'n trod down
Under his feet: for proof, e're this thou feelest
Thy wound, yet not thy last and deadliest wound
By this repulse received, and holdest in Hell
No triumph; in all her gates Abaddon rues
Thy bold attempt; hereafter learn with awe
To dread the Son of God: he all unarm'd
Shall chase thee with the terror of his voice
From thy Demoniac holds, possession foul,
Thee and thy Legions; yelling they shall flye,
And beg to hide them in a herd of Swine,
Lest he command them down into the deep,
Bound, and to torment sent before thir time.
Hail Son of the most High, heir of both worlds,
Queller of Satan, on thy glorious work
Now enter, and begin to save mankind.
Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek
Sung Victor, and, from Heavenly Feast refreshed
Brought on his way with joy; he unobserved
Home to his Mothers house private returned.

 

John Wilson

Oh for a book and a shady nook,
Either indoors or out;
With the green leaves whispering overhead
Or the street cries all about;
Where I may read at all my ease,
Both of the new and old;
For a jolly good book whereon to look
Is better to me than gold.