A GENTLENESS THAT GROWS by James Russell Lowell

A GENTLENESS THAT GROWS
by James Russell Lowell

A gentleness that grows of steady faith;
A joy that sheds it sunshine everywhere;
A humble strength and readiness to bear
Those burthens which strict duty ever lay'th
Upon our souls;--which unto sorrow saith,
"Here is no soil for thee to strike thy roots,
Here only grow those sweet and precious fruits;
Which ripen for the soul that well obey'th;
A patience which the world can neither give
Nor take away; a courage strong and high,
That dares in simple usefulness to live,
And without one sad look behind to die
When that day comes;--these tell me that our love
Is building for itself a home above.