A Question

What if your life had been a barren thing- Barren of all that made it good and wise, But rich in all that fetters the free soul, And calm before the world's close acrutinies ? Think if one day upon that desert waste A great light feil, and, dazzled and struck Wind, Y ou wrapped it like a mantle round your heart, Nor ask of f ate what follow'd close behind. Suppose sometimos it glowed olear, warm, and bright, And lifted you above all commou need; Sometimes it faded palo, and wan, and weak, And of yDur toilsome track took little heed; VVhereat you gathered, trembling and afraid. The treasures of your life- all that was good- The sacred trusts kept clean from alien hands By years of melancholy solitude. And cast them down- a costly gift- to say But for a littlo time the lessening light, Dreading so much the purposeless dark way, The solemn, dread eternity of night. Think if the bribe wero powerless, and you lay Voiceless, dethroued - no refuge - none to save : Would you not doubt the love and help of Heaven, And ask of Earth one boon - naught else - a grave f - Galaxy for February.