“Crying Abba, Father”

And leave her in disgrace,

And will not look at her or speak at all,

I long to speak and long to see her face ;

And how, when twice, for something grievous
done,

I could but smite, and though I lightly smote,

I felt my heart rise strangling in my throat ;

And whenshe wept I kissed the poor red hands.

All these things, Father, a father understands ;
And am not I Thy son?

Abba, in Thine eternal years
Bethink Thee of our fleeting day ;
From all the rapture of our eyes and ears
How shall we tear ourselves away?
At night my little one says nay,
With prayers implores, entreats with tears
For ten more flying minutes’ play ;
How shall we tear ourselves away?
Yet call, and 1’ll surrender
The flower of soul and sense,
Life’s passion and its splendour,
In quick obedience.
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