Adelaide Anne Procter

Adelaide Anne Procter (30 October 1825 – 2 February 1864) was an English poet, the eldest daughter of the poet Bryan Procter.

Legends and Lyrics: A Book of Verses (1858)

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Will no gentle deed disdain: Love on the cold earth beginning Lives divine in Heaven again, While the angel hearts that beat there Still all tender thoughts retain.
 * Know, dear little one! our Father
 * "The Angel's Story"

Though day is bright, The stars can only shine In the dark night. Be strong, O Heart of mine, Look towards the light!
 * Be strong to hope, O Heart!
 * "Be Strong"

Love knows not wrong; Didst thou love — creatures even, Life were not long; Didst thou love God in heaven, Thou wouldst be strong!
 * Be strong to love, O Heart!
 * "Be Strong"

On a world of pain! See old Time destroying All our hoarded gain; All our sweetest flowers, Every stately shrine, All our hard-earned glory, Every dream divine! Shine, ye stare of heaven, On the rolling years! See how Time, consoling, Dries the saddest tears, Bids the darkest storm-clouds Pass in gentle rain, While upspring in glory Flowers and dreams again!
 * Shine, ye stars of heaven,
 * "Shining Stars"

Serpents with their venomous stings, Or bright angels, crowding round us, With heaven's light upon their wings: Every word has its own spirit, True or false, that never dies; Every word man's lips have uttered Echoes in God's skies.
 * Words are mighty, words are living:
 * "Words"

Shall violets bloom for thee, and sweet birds sing; And the lime branches where soft winds are blowing, Shall murmur the sweet promise of the Spring!
 * A little longer yet — a little longer,
 * "A Little Longer"

And fills thy spirit with a great delight; Then our pale joys will seem a dream forgotten, Our Sun a darkness, and our Day a Night.
 * A little longer still, and Heaven awaits thee,
 * "A Little Longer"

Shall beat for ever with a Love divine; And joy so pure, so mighty, so eternal, No creature knows and lives, will then be thine. A little longer yet — and angel voices Shall ring in heavenly chant upon thine ear; Angels and Saints await thee, and God needs thee: Beloved, can we bid thee linger here!
 * A little longer, and thy Heart, Belovèd,
 * "A Little Longer"

"Yet Love," I cried, "doth live, and conquer death —" And Time passed by, And breathed on Love, and killed it with his breath Ere Death was nigh. More bitter far than all It was to know that Love could change and die — Hush! for the ages call "The Love of God lives through eternity, And conquers all!"
 * I wept that all must die —
 * "The Triumph of Time"

Legends and Lyrics: Second Series (1861)

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I was weary and ill at ease, And my fingers wandered idly Over the noisy keys. I do not know what I was playing, Or what I was dreaming then; But I struck one chord of music, Like the sound of a great Amen.
 * Seated one day at the organ,
 * "A Lost Chord"

Like love overcoming strife; It seemed the harmonious echo From our discordant life.
 * It quieted pain and sorrow,
 * "A Lost Chord"

That one lost chord divine, Which came from the soul of the Organ, And entered into mine. It may be that Death's bright angel Will speak in that chord again, It may be that only in Heaven I shall hear that grand Amen.
 * I have sought, but I seek it vainly,
 * "A Lost Chord"

But where each flows on unmingling, both are fruitless and in vain.
 * Dreams grow holy put in action; work grows fair through starry dreaming,
 * "Philip and Mildred"

For on Earth so much is needed, but in Heaven Love is all!
 * Heaven unites again the links that Earth has broken!
 * "Philip and Mildred"

A Chaplet of Verses (1862)

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A pleasant road. I do not ask that Thou wouldst take from me Aught of its load;
 * I do not ask, O Lord, that life may be
 * "Per Pacem ad Lucem"

Beneath my feet I know too well the poison and the sting Of things too sweet.
 * I do not ask that flowers should always spring
 * "Per Pacem ad Lucem"

Like quiet night; Lead me, O Lord, — till perfect Day shall shine Through Peace to Light.
 * Joy is like restless day; but peace divine
 * "Per Pacem ad Lucem"

Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895)

 * Quotes reported in Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert, Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895).

Knowing her dearer self safe, sheltered, warm? How can she feel her road too dark or dreary, Who knows her treasure sheltered from the storm? How can she sin? Our hearts may be unheeding, Our God forgot, our holy saints defied; But can a mother hear her dead child pleading, And thrust those little angel hands aside?
 * How can a mother's heart feel cold or weary
 * P. 52

The path is bleak and bare; Our feet are worn and weary, But we will not despair; More weary was Thy burden, More desolate Thy ways, O Lamb of God, who takest The sin of the world away, Have mercy upon us.
 * The way is long and dreary,
 * P. 110

The hours fly past; With each some sorrow dies, With each some shadow flies, Until at last The red dawn in the east Bids weary night depart, And pain is past.
 * Rejoice, oh! grieving heart,
 * P. 309

Have limits to its mercy; God has none.
 * Kind hearts are here; yet would the tenderest one
 * P. 409

Reaching heaven; but one by one Take them, lest the chain be broken Ere the pilgrimage be done.
 * Hours are golden links, God's token
 * P. 583

My way to see: Better in darkness just to feel Thy hand And follow Thee.
 * I do not ask my cross to understand
 * P. 594

In Him who rules the whole, Thou wouldst find peace and rest; Wisdom and sight are well, but trust is best.
 * If thou couldst trust, poor soul!
 * P. 597