by Edith Nesbit
By the infinite patient anguish,
By the never-ceasing prayer,
By the thoughts that cut like a living knife,
By the tears that are never dry,
Take what he died to win You —
God, take Your victory!
We have watched on till the light burned low,
And watched the dawn awake;
We have lived hardly and hardly fared
For our sons’ sake.
All that was good in Thy earth,
All that taught us of Heaven,
All that we had in the world
We have given.
We pray with empty hands
And hearts that are stiff with pain.
O God! O God! O God!
Let the sacrifice not be vain.
This is his blood, Lord, see!
His blood that was shed for Thee;
Thy banner is dyed in that red tide
Lord, take Thy victory!
God! give Thine angels power
To fight as he fought,
To scatter the hosts of evil,
To bring their boastings to naught —
Gabriel with trumpet of battle . . .
Michael, who wields Thy sword . . .
Breathe Thou Thy spirit upon them,
Put forth Thy strength, O Lord.
See, Lord, this is his body,
Broken for Thee, for Thee . . .
My son, my little son,
Who leapt and laughed on my knee.
INASMUCH AS YE DID IT NOT . . .
If Jesus came to London,
Came to London to-day,
He would not go to the West End,
He would come down our way;
He’d talk with the children dancing
To the organ out in the street,
And say he was their big Brother,
And give them something to eat.
He wouldn’t go to the mansions
Where the charitable live;
He’d come to the tenement houses
Where we ain’t got nothing to give.
He’d come so kind and so homely,
And treat us to beer and bread,
And tell us how we ought to behave;
And we’d try to mind what He said.
In the warm bright West End churches
They sing and preach and pray,
They call us “Beloved brethren,”
But they do not act that way.
And when He came to the church door
He’d call out loud and free,
“You stop that preaching and praying
And show what you’ve done for Me.”
Then they’d say, “O Lord, we have given
To the poor both blankets and tracts,
And we’ve tried to make them sober,
And we’ve tried to teach them facts.
But they will sneak round to the drink-shop,
And pawn the blankets for beer,
And we find them very ungrateful,
But still we persevere.”
Then He would say, “I told you
The time I was here before,
That you were all of you brothers,
All you that I suffered for.
I won’t go into your churches,
I’ll stop in the sun outside.
You bring out the men your brothers,
The men for whom I died!”
Out of our beastly lodgings,
From arches and doorways about,
They’d have to do as He told them,
They’d have to call us out.
Millions and millions and millions,
Thick and crawling like flies,
We should creep out to the sunshine
And not be afraid of His eyes.
He’d see what God’s image looks like
When men have dealt with the same,
Wrinkled with work that is never done,
Swollen and dirty with shame.
He’d see on the children’s forehead
The branded gutter-sign
That marks the girls to be harlots,
That dooms the boys to be swine.
Then He’d say, “What’s the good of churches
When these have nowhere to sleep?
And how can I hear you praying
When they are cursing so deep?
I gave My Blood and My Body
That they might have bread and wine,
And you have taken your share and theirs
Of these good gifts of mine!”
Then some of the rich would be sorry,
And all would be very scared,
And they’d say, “But we never knew, Lord!”
And He’d say, “You never cared!”
And some would be sick and shameful
Because they’d know that they knew,
And the best would say, “We were wrong, Lord.
Now tell us what to do!”
I think He’d be sitting, likely,
For someone ‘ud bring Him a chair,
With a common kid cuddled up on His knee
And the common sun on His hair;
And they’d be standing before Him,
And He’d say, “You know that you knew.
Why haven’t you worked for your brothers
The same as I worked for you?
“For since you’re all of you brothers
It’s clear as God’s blessed sun
That each must work for the others,
Not thousands work for one.
And the ones that have lived bone-idle
If they want Me to hear them pray,
Let them go and work for their livings
The only honest way!
“I’ve got nothing new to tell you,
You know what I always said —
But you’ve built their bones into churches
And stolen their wine and bread;
You with My Name on your foreheads,
Liar, and traitor, and knave,
You have lived by the death of your brothers,
These whom I died to save!”
I wish He would come and say it;
Perhaps they’d believe it then,
And work like men for their livings
And let us work like men.
Brothers? They don’t believe it,
The lie on their lips is red.
They’ll never believe till He comes again,
Or till we rise from the dead!
The Poems
Sycamore House, High Street, Dymchurch, Kent — one of the six houses the author rented in Dymchurch during her years with the ‘Skipper’
LIST OF POEMS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
TO TWO WOMEN.
TEKEL
THE MOAT HOUSE
SONG: MY SWEET, MY SWEET
SONG. SOFT IS THE GROUND UNDERFOOT
SONG. GOOD-BYE, MY LOVE, MY ONLY DEAR
SONG. OH, LOVE, I LEAVE
SONG. OH, BABY, BABY, BABY DEAR
SONG. DAY IS FAIR, AND SO IS SHE
SONG. I HAD A SOUL
UNOFFICIAL
PESSIMISM
GHOSTS
THE DEAD TO THE LIVING
THE SPHINX
QUIETA NE MOVETE
MICROCOSM
THE HUSBAND OF TO-DAY
THE WIFE OF ALL AGES
TWO VOICES
VIES MANQUÉES
A LAST APPEAL
OVER AND DONE
OVER AND UNDONE
CHRISTMAS
NEW YEAR SONG
THE SINGING OF THE MAGNIFICAT
LOVE’S SUICIDE
CHRISTMAS ROSES
A CHOICE
A LIFE’S STORY
ABSOLUTION
CUL-DE-SAC
THE MOORS
SONG. A MONTH OF GREEN AND TENDER MAY
RICHBOROUGH CASTLE
AUGUST
THE LAST ENVOY
BAB
Y’S BIRTHDAY
JANUARY
CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUNDS IN THE CITY
THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA
TO HIS LADY, IMPLORING HER TO BE TRUE
AT THE FEAST
SPRING SONG
NEW YEAR
A STAR IN THE EAST
PARTING
TWO CHRISTMAS EVES
FOR THE NEW YEAR
THE FERRY
LOVERS’ QUARRELS
WHEN!
SONG. WE LOVED, MY LOVE, AND NOW IT SEEMS
QUAND MÊME
LOVE AND KNOWLEDGE
HOPES
A BROWN STUDY
A GOOD-BYE
UNTIL THE DAWN
RESURGAM.
MARCH VIOLETS.
HOP PICKING.
HALLOWE’EN.
THE LOVER TO HIS LASS.
BEFORE PARTING.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG I.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG II.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG III.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG IV.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG V.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG VI.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG VII.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG VIII.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG IX.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG X.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG XI.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG XII.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG XIII.
BRIDAL BALLAD.
THE GHOST.
THE MODERN JUDAS.
THE SOUL TO THE IDEAL.
A DEATH-BED.
THE LOST SOUL AND THE SAVED.
AT THE PRISON GATE.
THE DEVIL’S DUE.
LOVE IN JUNE.
THE GARDEN.
PRAYER UNDER GRAY SKIES.
A GREAT INDUSTRIAL CENTRE.
LONDON’S VOICES SPEAK TO TWO SOULS — WHO THUS REPLY:
THE SICK JOURNALIST.
TWO LULLABIES.
BABY SONG.
LULLABY.
AN EAST-END TRAGEDY.
HERE AND THERE.
MOTHER.
A BALLAD OF CANTERBURY.
MORNING.
THE PRAYER.
THE RIVER MAIDENS.
ON THE MEDWAY.
THE BETROTHAL.
A TRAGEDY.
LOVE.
THE DESIRE OF THE MOTH FOR THE STAR.
WORSHIP.
SPLENDIDE MENDAX.
LOVE SONG.
THE QUARREL.
CHANGE.
THE MILL.
RONDEAU.
A MÉSALLIANCE.
THE LAST THOUGHT.
APOLLO AND THE MEN OF CYMÉ.
AT THE PRIVATE VIEW.
A DIRGE IN GRAY.
THE WOMAN’S WORLD.
THE LIGHTHOUSE.
TO A YOUNG POET.
THE TEMPTATION.
THE BALLAD OF SIR HUGH.
FEBRUARY.
APRIL.
JUNE.
JULY.
NOVEMBER.
ROCHESTER CASTLE.
RUCKINGE CHURCH.
RYE.
THE BALLAD OF THE TWO SPELLS.
IN MEMORIAM
PHILIP BOURKE MARSTON.
RONDEAU TO AUSTIN DOBSON.
RONDEAU TO W. E. HENLEY.
TO WALTER SICKERT.
OLD AGE.
THE THINGS THAT MATTER.
THE CONFESSION.
WORK.
THE JILTED LOVER TO HIS MOTHER.
THE WILL TO LIVE.
THE BEATIFIC VISION.
MUMMY WHEAT.
THE BEECH TREE.
IN ABSENCE.
SILENCE.
RAISON D’ETRE.
THE ONLOOKER.
THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE.
AT PARTING.
SONG. I HEAR THE WAVES TO-NIGHT
RENUNCIATION.
THE VEIL OF MAYA.
SONG. THE SUNSHINE OF YOUR PRESENCE LIES
TO VERA, WHO ASKED A SONG.
THE POET TO HIS LOVE.
THE MAIDEN’S PRAYER.
SONG. LOVE ME LITTLE, LOVE ME LONG
THE MAGIC FLOWER.
LA DERNIERE ROBE DE SOI.
THE LEAST POSSIBLE.
EN TOUT CAS.
APPEAL.
ST. VALENTINE’S DAY.
CHAGRIN D’AMOUR.
BRIDAL EVE.
LOVE AND LIFE.
FROM THE ITALIAN.
OUT OF THE FULNESS OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKETH.
SUMMER SONG.
THE LOWER ROOM.
SONG. THE SUMMER DOWN THE GARDEN WALKS
MAY SONG.
TO IRIS.
BIRTHDAY TALK FOR A CHILD. (IRIS.)
TO ROSAMUND.
FROM THE TUSCAN.
MOTHER SONG.
THE ISLAND.
POSSESSION.
ACCESSION.
THE DESTROYER.
THE EGOISTS.
THE WAY OF LOVE.
TO ONE WHO PLEADED FOR CANDOUR IN LOVE.
THE ENCHANTED GARDEN.
THE POOR MAN’S GUEST.
IN THE SHALLOWS.
AND THE RAINS DESCENDED AND THE FLOODS CAME.
THE STAR.
THE PRODIGAL SON.
DESPAIR.
THE TEMPTATION.
SECOND NATURE.
DE PROFUNDIS.
AT THE GATE.
VIA AMORIS.
RETRO SATHANAS.
THE OLD DISPENSATION.
THE NEW DISPENSATION.
THE THREE KINGS.
AFTER DEATH.
CHLOE.
INVOCATION.
THE LAST BETRAYAL.
A PRAYER FOR THE KING’S MAJESTY.
TRUE LOVE AND NEW LOVE.
DEATH.
IN MEMORY OF SARETTA DEAKIN.
A PARTING.
THE RETURN
FOR DOLLY WHO DOES NOT LEARN HER LESSONS
QUESTIONS
THE DAISIES
THE TOUCHSTONE
THE DECEMBER ROSE
THE FIRE
SONG. NOW THE SPRING IS WAKING
A PARTING
THE GIFT OF LIFE
INCOMPATIBILITIES
THE STOLEN GOD.
WINTER
SEA-SHELLS
HOPE
THE PRODIGAL’S RETURN
THE SKYLARK
SATURDAY SONG
THE CHAMPION
THE GARDEN REFUSED
THESE LITTLE ONES
THE DESPOT
THE MAGIC RING
PHILOSOPHY
THE WHIRLIGIG OF TIME
MAGIC
WINDFLOWERS
AS IT IS
BEFORE WINTER
THE VAULT
SURRENDER
VALUES
IN THE PEOPLE’S PARK
WEDDING DAY
THE LAST DEFEAT
MAY DAY
GRETNA GREEN
THE ETERNAL
THE POINT OF VIEW: I.
THE POINT OF VIEW: II.
MARY OF MAGDALA
THE HOME-COMING
AGE TO YOUTH
IN AGE
WHITE MAGIC
FROM THE PORTUGUESE
THE NEST
THE OLD MAGIC
FAITH
THE DEATH OF AGNES
IN TROUBLE
GRATITUDE
AT THE LAST
FEAR
THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
A FAREWELL
IN HOSPITAL
PRAYER IN TIME OF WAR
AT PARTING
INVOCATION
TO HER: IN TIME OF WAR
THE FIELDS OF FLANDERS
SPRING IN WAR-TIME
THE MOTHER’S PRAYER
INASMUCH AS YE DID IT NOT . . .
LIST OF POEMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
A-D E-H I-L M-O P-S T-V W-Z
A BALLAD OF CANTERBURY.
A BROWN STUDY
A CHOICE
A DEATH-BED.
A DIRGE IN GRAY.
A GOOD-BYE
A GREAT INDUSTRIAL CENTRE.
A LAST APPEAL
A LIFE’S STORY
A MÉSALLIANCE.
A PARTING
A PARTING.
A PRAYER FOR THE KING’S MAJESTY.
A STAR IN THE EAST
A TRAGEDY.
ABSOLUTION
ACCESSION.
AFTER DEATH.
AGE TO YOUTH
AN EAST-END TRAGEDY.
AND THE RAINS DESCENDED AND THE FLOODS CAME.
APOLLO AND THE MEN OF CYMÉ.
APPEAL.
APRIL.
AS IT IS
AT PARTING
AT PARTING.
AT THE FEAST
AT THE GATE.
AT THE LAST
AT THE PRISON GATE.
AT THE PRIVATE VIEW.
AUGUST
BABY SONG.
BABY’S BIRTHDAY
BEFORE PARTING.
BEFORE WINTER
BIRTHDAY TALK FOR A CHILD. (IRIS.)
BRIDAL BALLAD.
BRIDAL EVE.
CHAGRIN D’AMOUR.
CHANGE.
CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUNDS IN THE CITY
CHLOE.
CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS ROSES
CUL-DE-SAC
DE PROFUNDIS.
DEATH.
DESPAIR.
EN TOUT CAS.
FAITH
FEAR
FEBRUARY.
FOR DOLLY WHO DOES NOT LEARN HER LESSONS
FOR THE NEW YEAR
FROM THE ITALIAN.
FROM THE PORTUGUESE
FROM THE TUSCAN.
GHOSTS
GRATITUDE
GRETNA GREEN
HALLOWE’EN.
HERE AND THERE.
HOP PICKING.
HOPE
HOPES
IN ABSENCE.
IN AGE
IN HOSPITAL
IN MEMORIAM
IN MEMORY OF SARETTA DEAKIN.
IN THE PEOPLE’S PARK
IN THE SHALLOWS.
IN TROUBLE
INASMUCH AS YE DID IT NOT . . .
INCOMPATIBILITIES
INVOCATION
INVOCATION.
JANUARY
JULY.
JUNE.
LA DERNIERE ROBE DE SOI.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG I.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG II.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG III.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG IV.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG IX.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG V.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG VI.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG VII.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG VIII.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG X.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG XI.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG XII.
LANDSCAPE AND SONG XIII.
LONDON’S VOICES SPEAK TO TWO SOULS — WHO THUS REPLY:
LOVE AND KNOWLEDGE
LOVE AND LIFE.
LOVE IN JUNE.
LOVE SONG.
LOVE.
LOVE’S SUICIDE
LOVERS’ QUARRELS
LULLABY.
MAGIC
MARCH VIOLETS.
MARY OF MAGDALA
MAY DAY
MAY SONG.
MICROCOSM
MORNING.
MOTHER SONG.
MOTHER.
MUMMY WHEAT.
NEW YEAR
NEW YEAR SONG
NOVEMBER.