Shelter And Fellowship

In the midst of life unknown, Spaces boundless, pathways lone, Earth of things that pass and fade Homely shelter round us made,-- Dropped a veil of changing light O’er the changeless infinite, Over the unfathomed drew Morning’s gold and noonday’s blue, Lifted in the evening skies Rose-illumined boundaries, Wove the light of moon and stars Into silver prison-bars.

We forget what deeps we winged Ere we found our place on earth, Ere the blue horizons ringed Sheltered homelands of our birth. Whispers of the unknown spoke Through our dreams; but all we know Waited for us when we woke On the green earth long ago. Love we found, and welcome kind, Fellowship with everything We were playmates of the wind, Comrades of the bird on wing. Creatures dumb we understood, Knew them kin,--the shy or bold,-- Hid with these in cave and wood, Watched with those o’er hearth and fold. Happy on our way we went, Meadow secrets, forest clues, Learning from the firwoods’ scent, Winning from the wild flowers’ hues.

Trusting life itself, we grew One with all we loved and knew; Every thought we sent a-wing Linked us with some living thing; Every kindness that we did Treasure for us somewhere hid. So, outside ourselves was sown All that grew to be our own; So we put our wealth in trust Past the reach of moth and rust. Wherefore, no defeat or lure Now can leave us wholly poor; Never can we fail to find Somewhere a sweet face and kind,-- Somewhere shelter and a friend Waiting at the journey’s end.