Take back, my friend, the gifts once given. <br />No fairer find I this side Heaven <br />With which to bless thee, than thine own <br />Resource of blessing. Mine alone <br />To render what is mine to lose. <br />No niggard am I with it. Choose! <br />Lavish, I keep not any part <br />Of that great price within my heart. <br />Wilt thou the quiet comfort have? <br />Thine be it, daily, to the grave! <br />The courage, shining down from one <br />Whose answering eyes put out the sun? <br />The tenderness that touched the nerve <br />Like music? Oh, I bid these serve <br />Thee, soothe thee, watchful of thy need <br />While mine is unattended; feed <br />Thy heart while mine goes famished. Glad, <br />I give the dearest thing I had. <br />Impoverished, can I find or spare <br />Aught else to thee of rich or rare? <br />Sweet thoughts that through the soul do sing, <br />And deeds like loving hands that cling, <br />And loyal faith-a sentry-nigh, <br />And prayers all rose-clouds hovering high? <br />Nay, nay; I keep not any. Hold <br />The wealth I leave with fingers cold <br />And trembling in thine own. One thing <br />Alone I do deny to bring <br />And give again to thee. Not now, <br />Nor ever, Dear, shalt thou learn how <br />To wrest it from me. Test thy strength! <br />By the world's measures, height or length- <br />Too weak art thou, too weak to gain, <br />By sleight of tenderness or snatch of pain <br />-At thine own most or least-to take from me <br />Mine own ideal lost-and saved-of thee.<br /><br />Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/part-of-the-price/
