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.
FAILURE.
TO
"There is a heaven for those who have worthily failed on earth."
![H](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Poems_Eckley_H.jpg/50px-Poems_Eckley_H.jpg)
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 heed
They be not artificial ones,
That bear no spirit seed.
Are heavenly plants,—take heed
They 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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Is only planted here,
To grow where neither tare nor chaff,
Its beauty can impair.