GOD has his plans, and what if we <br />With our sight be too blind to see <br />Their full fruition; cannot he, <br />Who made it, solve the mystery? <br />One whom we loved has fall'n asleep, <br />Not died; although her calm be deep, <br />Some new, unknown, and strange surprise <br />In Heaven holds enrapt her eyes. <br />And can you blame her that her gaze <br />Is turned away from earthly ways, <br />When to her eyes God's light and love <br />Have giv'n the view of things above? <br />A gentle spirit sweetly good, <br />The pearl of precious womanhood; <br />Who heard the voice of duty clear, <br />And found her mission soon and near. <br />She loved all nature, flowers fair, <br />The warmth of sun, the kiss of air, <br />The birds that filled the sky with song, <br />The stream that laughed its way along. <br />Her home to her was shrine and throne, <br />But one love held her not alone; <br />She sought out poverty and grief, <br />Who touched her robe and found relief. <br />So sped she in her Master's work, <br />Too busy and too brave to shirk, <br />When through the silence, dusk and dim, <br />God called her and she fled to him. <br />We wonder at the early call, <br />And tears of sorrow can but fall <br />For her o'er whom we spread the pall; <br />But faith, sweet faith, is over all. <br />The house is dust, the voice is dumb, <br />But through undying years to come, <br />The spark that glowed within her soul <br />Shall light our footsteps to the goal. <br />She went her way; but oh, she trod <br />The path that led her straight to God. <br />Such lives as this put death to scorn; <br />They lose our day to find God's morn.<br /><br />Paul Laurence Dunbar<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-the-memory-of-mary-young/
