Poems (Eckley)/Failure

by Sophia May Eckley

FAILURE. 

TO ———— "There is a heaven for those who have worthily failed on earth."

USH! put thy finger to thy lip, Lay thy hand upon thy heart,But never say, "I've fail'd in work," Till death thy strength shall thwart.

In what hast failed? Perhaps hast tried The world's applause to buy;Or watched a bubble in the air Break by a breeze's sigh!

Can human smile, or critics' scorn, Set seal upon thy name?Oh feeble one! if it be thus, A feather is thy fame.

If "fail" means loss of world's applause, Then heed I not its sneer:If honest failure is thy sin, Then probe thy heart sincere.

Look down,—observe the motive wheel That drives thy chariot on;Observe what ruts have hinder'd that, Then speed less reckless on.

To nobly fail on earth is gain, If motives be sincere;Carved from the granite rock of truth, With no spectators near.

Put down the plummet and the line, Be sure convictions meet,That thou hast given all thy strength To make thy work complete.

Then never say, "I've failed in work," While strength and hope still chime,And on life's shore the waves still flow, These restless waves of time.

Be sure the flowers that round thee grow, Are heavenly plants,—take heedThey be not artificial ones, That bear no spirit seed.

For half the world can ill discern The spurious from the true,The tinsel from the virgin ore, The many from the few.

But heed thyself, and light the torch Down in the labyrinth still;And look into the chemistry Of thine own intentioned will.

Then analyze each separate part In the crucible of truth,Take heed the dross floats on the top, Then weigh the gold—forsooth!

And never say, "I've failed in work," While strength and youth still chime;And on life's shore the waves still flow, These restless waves of time.

For all thy labour if sincere, Is only planted here,To grow where neither tare nor chaff, Its beauty can impair.