A Year's Spinning

 

1

He listened at the porch that day,

To hear the wheel go on, and on;

And then it stopped, ran back away,

While through the door he brought the sun:

But now my spinning is all done.

2

He sat beside me, with an oath

That love ne'er ended, once begun;

I smiled--believing for us both,

What was the truth for only one:

And now my spinning is all done.

3

My mother cursed me that I heard

A young man's wooing as I spun:

Thanks, cruel mother, for that word--

For I have, since, a harder known!

And now my spinning is all done.

4

I thought--O God!--my first-born's cry

Both voices to mine ear would drown:

I listened in mine agony--

It was the silence made me groan!

And now my spinning is all done.

5

Bury me 'twixt my mother's grave,

(Who cursed me on her death-bed lone)

And my dead baby's (God it save!)

Who, not to bless me, would not moan.

And now my spinning is all done.

6

A stone upon my heart and head,

But no name written on the stone!

Sweet neighbours, whisper low instead,

"This sinner was a loving one--

And now her spinning is all done."

7

And let the door ajar remain,

In case he should pass by anon;

And leave the wheel out very plain,--

That HE, when passing in the sun,

May see the spinning is all done.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Prayer

Dear God

Help me to see with Elisha, that there are more on my side

than on their side,

Help me to see, with Paul, that if you are for me, who can be against me?

And help me to see, with David, that no opposition is gigantic when compared

to you

Give me eyes to see, O Lord.

Help me to live by faith rather than by sight,

courageously rather than fearfully.

Give me a God-dominated imagination, not a Goliath-dominated one.

Remind me of your saving acts in biblical history.

Remind me of your saving acts in my own history.

And through those reminders, grant me the courage I need

to fight whatever giants have come into my land.

Eugene H. Peterson

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