Until she died we never knew <br />The beauty of our faith in God. <br />We'd seen the summer roses nod <br />And wither as the tempests blew, <br />Through many a spring we'd lived to see <br />The buds returning to the tree. <br />We had not felt the touch of woe; <br />What cares had come, had lightly flown; <br />Our burdens we had borne alone— <br />The need of God we did not know. <br />It seemed sufficient through the days <br />To think and act in worldly ways. <br />And then she closed her eyes in sleep; <br />She left us for a little while; <br />No more our lives would know her smile. <br />And oh, the hurt of it went deep! <br />It seemed to us that we must fall <br />Before the anguish of it all. <br />Our faith, which had not known the test, <br />Then blossomed with its comfort sweet, <br />Promised that some day we should meet <br />And whispered to us: 'He knows best.' <br />And when our bitter tears were dried, <br />We found our faith was glorified.<br /><br />Edgar Albert Guest<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/until-she-died/
