Red Dirt Ramblings®

Firmly rooted in the Oklahoma soil

Garden Bloggers’ Muse Day: All Saint’s Day, November 1

Pathway
Pathway in the lower pasture

All Saint’s Day

by Ada Cambridge

1844-1926

Never to weary more, nor suffer sorrow,—
Their strife all over, and their work all done:
At peace—and only waiting for the morrow;
Heaven’s rest and rapture even now begun.

So tired once! long fetter’d, sorely burden’d,
Ye struggled hard and well for your release;
Ye fought in faith and love—and ye are guerdon’d,
O happy souls! for now ye are at peace.

No more of pain, no more of bitter weeping!
For us a darkness and an empty place,
Somewhere a little dust—in angels’ keeping—
A blessèd memory of a vanish’d face.

For us the lonely path, the daily toiling,
The din and strife of battle, never still’d;
For us the wounds, the hunger, and the soiling,—
The utter, speechless longing, unfulfill’d.

For us the army camp’d upon the mountains,
Unseen, yet fighting with our Syrian foes,—
The heaven-sent manna and the wayside fountains,
The hope and promise, sweetening our woes.

For them the joyous spirit, freely ranging
Green hills and fields where never mortal trod;
For them the light unfading and unchanging,
The perfect quietness—the peace of God.

For both, a dim, mysterious, distant greeting;
For both, at Jesus’ cross, a drawing near;
At Eucharistic gate a blessed meeting,
When angels and archangels worship here.

For both, God grant, an everlasting union,
When sin shall pass away and tears shall cease;
For both the deep and full and true communion,
For both the happy life that is “at peace.”

If you would like to know more about Ada Cambridge, just follow this link to Wikipedia.  A special thank you to Carolyn Gail at Sweet Home and Garden Chicago who is Muse Day’s original muse.  Stroll on over to her place where you’ll find other poetry for this first of November.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. Brenda Kula

    It always looks so serene at your place. Must be a very nice place to live. I just relax when I see your photos. (Still itching, day 14)
    Brenda

    Brenda Kula´s last blog post..The Garden Room

    Poor Brenda. I hope your poison ivy is getting better. It is pretty serene here except on the weekends. I’m not here enough though because I’m a “stay at home mom,” an oxymoron if I ever heard one.~~Dee

  6. Gail

    Hey Dee,

    A fitting poem for All Saints’ Day….Dee I do so like your new look…are you tired of me telling you that? Warmest, Gail

    Gail´s last blog post..A Dark and Scary Walk

    Hi Gail, I’ll never tire of hearing you like the new look. Thanks.~~Dee

  10. Lisa at Greenbow

    I like this poem Dee. It has an old fashioned down to earth appeal. Peace is what we all wish for.

    Yes, I think so too.~~Dee