"A Poem" by Eliza M. Hickok (19th Century Poet)

Sometimes, here, the soul is lifted
To a height more pure and gifted
Than to mortals often cometh in the beaten walks of life;
Losing sight of things terrestrial,
Gains a glimpse of the celestial,
And forgets in such an hour all the scenes of earthly strife.

Oh, that such a revelation,
Such God-given inspiration,
Might imbue our earthly actions, to our words give gentle tone;
Bid us strike our trembling lyre
Yet again, and one note higher,
As we seek for light 'mid darkness and for gems of truth unknown.

Mortal friend, hath earth been dreary,
Till thy spirit, lone and weary,
Drifts in sorrow, almost hopeless, on the stormy sea of life;
And the wild waves round thee dashing,
Into wrath thy spirit lashing,
Are to thee more dark and fearful than all elemental strife?

Till, perchance, all joy and gladness
Seem to merge  in gloom and sadness,
Till thy hopes, the life-tide swelling, one by one in grief depart?
Like a cheering, pleasing story,
Like a passing glimpse of glory,
Like a sweet and touching cadence, which with joy once thrilled the heart.

Cheerless seemed the way before thee,
Heavy clouds of darkness o'er thee,
Shrouding all the glorious sunlight in a deep Cimmerian gloom;
Till thy saddened spirit, yearning
For a rest, to death is turning,
Thinking earthly sorrow endeth in the darkly silent tomb?

Are thy joys and hopes fast waning,
Not a happy gleam remaining,
Till thy spirit hears with terror life's dark billows' fearful roar?
Dashing waves of wild contention,
Spirit fierce of harsh dissension,
Do they seem to whisper sadly, Earthly bliss is thine no more?

Know this cloud hath silver lining:
Soon a ray of sunlight, shinning,
Wakes thy weary heart to rapture, to receive its cheering power.
Sorrow's waves then backward rolling,
Grief and gloom no more controlling,
Thou may'st see the loving wisdom which hath guided thee each hour.

Ever in this world of sorrow,
Joy to-day and grief to-morrow,
Transient gleams of sunshine glimmer all along the earthly shore.
Thus, we hope not for all brightness,
Or the spirit nought but lightness,
But to gain from each stern conflict some new power unknown before

Rightly viewed, each tribulation
Bringeth us a pure salvation,
Learns the heart some higher lessons, and the soul more lofty lays.
For the lessons it bestoweth,
For the wisdom which infloweth,
Let us thank the All-wise Father, and to him ascribe all praise.