Page:Poems Shipton.djvu/192

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THE SHINING FOOTPRINT.

"I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."—John viii. 12.
"We walk by faith, not by sight."—2 Cor. v. 7.

Dark the way I wander:
 Shall I then go back?
Nay! I trace a footprint
 On the desert track,
And I hear a whisper
 (Sweeter could not be),
"Lo, I go before thee,
 Rise! and follow Me."

So I rose up quickly,
 With my staff in hand,
Gath'ring strength in rising
 At my Lord's command;
Yet I thought (half sighing),
 "Not a step I see!"
"On! "He said, "the darkness
 Hideth not from Me."

For awhile I lingered,
 Still on the sunshine bent;
Not a ray broke o'er me,
 All the way I went;
But upon the waters
 Seemed that step to be;