Charles Bertram Johnson, "A Larger Life" (1906)
A life lived sweet in sorrow's hour,
A living Faith serene in song,
And noble love's diviner power;
Let smiles break swift on frown or tears,
And peace be happy dove in strife;
I have but once to live my years,
'Twere good I live a larger life.
Give me sweet faith in other men;
My life is stronger when I trust;
I wish to love them, tho ' they sin,
And help them live, because I must.
My life is bound at every turn
In common interest with the good
Of other lives; and tho' I yearn
For trust, I'll give the trust I should.
I wish to grow in mind and heart,
To live each day on thought's high plain
Full conscious of life's nobler part
Full conscious of life's highest gain;
So live to-day to-morrow's sun
Will rise in glory's crown arrayed,
Upon no duty left undone,
Or sacrifice I should have made.
Each day is link in life's long chain,
And weak or strong as we shall live;
The whole's not stronger 'neath the strain,
Than strength the weakest link can give,
Each day I'll live as tho ' my last,
As tho ' before me was unrolled
The future, present and the past
My whole life's good upon a scroll.
And writ in gold my days of good,
Tho' blank the leaves of idle years,
I oft may read in solitude
How much was wrought by contrite fears—
How much by sincere sympathies
The crust I shared, the trust I gave,
The hope inspired -felicities
That made a sad heart light and brave.
I shall not live a mussel-shell;
My heart shut fast against the world;
Nor live where others cannot dwell
Ensphered too high above the whirl,
And busy life of men who toil;
But close where break the cries of strife:---
Some lower plain anear the soil---
I'll live out full a larger life.
Published in Colored American Magazine, May 1906