Yale Book of American Verse

One of my favorite book discoveries for 2013 was the Yale Book of American Verse compiled by Thomas R. Lounsbury, found on www.bartleby.com.  It is the "best of the best" & I have discovered many new joys through the year.   Another discovery came today, & I read it as our daily poem in English class.  This gave me one of those moments when I see Christ, His Work, and myself a bit clearer.   Though we are adverse to God in every way, He bids us seek Him.  He gives us the will to seek Him.  He makes it easy to seek Him.  He receives us when we seek Him.  He rewards us for doing that which He caused us to do and gave us the will to do.  The thought "Amazing Grace" wells up in my heart and seems so appropriate & yet not nearly enough. Praise the Lord, for His wondrous works to the children of men! 206. The Fool's Prayer

By Edward Rowland Sill.  1841-1887

THE ROYAL feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: "Sir Fool,
Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!"
The jester doffed his cap and bells,	5
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.
He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon the monarch's silken stool;	10
His pleading voice arose: "O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!
"No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin: but, Lord,	15
Be merciful to me, a fool!
"'T is not by guilt the onward sweep
Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;
'T is by our follies that so long
We hold the earth from heaven away.	20
"These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.
"The ill-timed truth we might have kept—	25
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?
The word we had not sense to say—
Who knows how grandly it had rung?
"Our faults no tenderness should ask,
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;	30
But for our blunders—oh, in shame
Before the eyes of heaven we fall.
"Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,	35
Be merciful to me, a fool!"
The room was hushed; in silence rose
The King, and sought his gardens cool,
And walked apart, and murmured low,
"Be merciful to me, a fool!"