THUS IT IS

From age to age

Love’s word rings forth,

“The truth is true and all is well,

Unconquerable life prevails.”

Oh man, whose strident dreams

Lead gravewards,

Return to calm and noble

Character of life.

Blaze forth pure virtue;

Depart false ambition’s restless schemes.

Busy thought and troubled feeling

Trespass not in virtue’s wise serenity

Where firm control and awful power

Eternally abide.

Here earth’s pains are healed

And cruel chaos of mind’s spawning

Is called again to order and to beauty.

Martin Exeter