Show NEW RAYS Will men still say the light is good When nothing lies from it concealed When thrown on living flesh and blood It shows a skeleton revealed We aye have loved the softened rays Which will not let us see too much But wrap as in a kindly blaze The things that shrink from human touch We hide our skeletons away When they have played their living part And shut them from the light of day Within the twilight of the heart And all the wrongs that shock and shame Our tender feeling or our pride The sullied honor tarnished name In dim forgetfulness we hide But now we dread lest some fierce beam More strong than our resistance prove And make us look where only seem Unlovely relics of our love And yet it may be we were wise To welcome each new ray of light And face with frank courageous eyes What now we bury out of sight Tis not perchance true selfcontrol Nor any part of charity To shut the windows of the soul Gainst all we do not choose to see New light which shines on earth may tell How brighter rays which shine above Can touch the lowest depths of hell Yet touch with tender tints of love < Chambers Journal |