THE WAY HOME
First love’s joy let us instill in every breathing child
For there is shining innocence as in a summer’s day,
And in the aged frame of years let us the image find
Of life as our experience toward Light to gain the way.
From shadowlands, to village marts, at play in flowered fields,
There let us love express as all our growth on Earth portrays,
Then kindness in our every act extend and never yield
To willfulness the heart betrays where love of self’s displayed.
As well within the pureness of a lover’s sweet embrace,
A sister’s care for brother, sons for fathers, fathers’ friends,
Inside a mother’s tender arms few others can replace
There let us love regard as all that truth to beauty lends.

And to our every moment add Your gentle spell of Grace,
Our very hearts by this transform, the path of Light retrace.

ASCENT
Yet while the footsteps of return may pitfalls still ensnare,
The climb begun must end in joy for all in whom He lives,
And transitory are such stays, delays on Freedom’s stair,
In hearts affixed again on Him whose Will election gives.
For even when the way is steep, and seems no more a trail,
There reaches down an arm to help and lift another step;
Or else unseen, beneath, is felt a hand which grasps the heel
That guides the foot to surer place and comes from loving’s depths–
Compelling one who just before lost trust of further aid
To look below and see whose palm it was his falling stilled,
His tear-filled eyes beholding then a sight for friendships made
In that it was his kindred soul who just beneath him climbed.

And there upon the sheerest part did all the climbers meet,
As ones below helped those above, all touching hands and feet.