[Editor: This poem by L. E. Homfray was published in Australians, Awake! And Other Poems (1915).]
Life’s Journey.
Marching along, through the storm and the sunshine,
Bearing the burden and heat of the day,
Striving for patience, for hope, and endurance,
Praying for courage, to tread the rough way.
Journeying on amid toil and temptation,
Standing all helpless, alone in the fight,
Watching the shadows of night stealing o’er us,
Trying so bravely to walk in the light.
Tasting of love, and of hate, and forgiveness,
Looking on Life through a passion of tears,
Seeing some soul which we cherished so fondly
Bowed to the dust in an anguish of fears.
Setting our hearts on some fast fading treasure,
Watching it wither and die in our hand,
Building our hopes upon blighted foundations,
Seeing them fall as the fast shifting sand.
Feeling the silence of death gather round us,
Waiting and watching, when hope has grown vain,
Bidding farewell, in our heart-broken sorrow,
Yearning for voices which speak not again.
Struggling along amid peril and darkness,
Oftentimes weary, discouraged, and worn,
Still to our hearts comes a message of gladness,
After the storm clouds, the brightness of morn.
Nearing the end of life’s long day of sadness,
Looking again on the years which have been,
Knowing that God in His infinite goodness
Ever was near through the journey unseen.
Source:
L. E. Homfray, Australians, Awake! And Other Poems, Sydney: D. S. Ford, [1915?], page 9
Editor’s notes:
o’er = over (pronounced the same as “oar”, “or”, and “ore”)
The Institute of Australian Culture
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