Imagination
By John Frederick Freeman
To make a fairer,
A kinder, a more constant world than this;
To make time longer
And love a little stronger,
To give to blossoms
And trees and fruits more beauty than they bear,
Adding to sweetness
The aye-wanted completeness,
To say to sorrow,
"Ease now thy bosom of its snaky burden";
(And sorrow brightened,
No more stung and frightened),
To cry to death,
"Stay a little, O proud Shade, thy stony hand";
(And death removing
Left us amazed loving);--
For this and this,
O inward Spirit, arm thyself with power;
Be it thy duty
To give a body to beauty.
Thine to remake
The world in thy hid likeness, and renew
The fading vision
In spite of time's derision.
Be it thine, O spirit,
The world of sense and thought to exalt with light;
Purge away blindness,
Terror and all unkindness.
Shine, shine
From within, on the confused grey world without
That, growing clearer,
Grows spiritual and dearer.