A Prayer

    Thou who mad'st the mighty clock
    Of the great world go;
    Mad'st its pendulum swing and rock,
    Ceaseless to and fro;
    Thou whose will doth push and draw
    Every orb in heaven,
    Help me move by higher law
    In my spirit graven.

    Like a planet let me swing--
    With intention strong;
    In my orbit rushing sing
    Jubilant along;
    Help me answer in my course
    To my seasons due;
    Lord of every stayless force,
    Make my Willing true.

George MacDonald

George MacDonald (1824–1905) was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister best known for his fairy tales and fantasy novels. He was a pioneer in the fantasy genre, influencing notable writers such as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. His major works include "Phantastes" and "Lilith," as well as numerous poems and other literary works. MacDonald's writings are characterized by their imaginative qualities and deep spiritual insight.

George MacDonald

Songs Of The Spring Days

George MacDonald, Simple Poetry

Translations. - Milton's Italian Poems. Iv.

George MacDonald, Simple Poetry

After An Old Legend.

George MacDonald, Simple Poetry

The Diary Of An Old Soul. - February.

George MacDonald, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

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An Evening Prayer

I am a bubble
    Upon thy ever-moving, resting sea:
Oh, rest me now from tossing, trespass, trouble!
    Take me down into thee.

Give me thy peace.
    My heart is aching with unquietness:
Oh, make its inharmonious beating cease!
    Thy hand upon it press.

My Night! my Day!
    Swift night and day betwixt, my world doth reel:
Potter, take not thy hand from off the clay
    That whirls upon thy wheel.

O Heart, I cry
    For love and life, pardon and hope and strength!
O Father, I am thine; I shall not die,
    But I shall sleep at length!

George MacDonald

Morning Hymn

    O Lord of life, thy quickening voice
        Awakes my morning song!
    In gladsome words I would rejoice
        That I to thee belong.

    I see thy light, I feel thy wind;
        The world, it is thy word;
    Whatever wakes my heart and mind,
        Thy presence is, my Lord.

    The living soul which I call me
        Doth love, and long to know;
    It is a thought of living thee,
        Nor forth of thee can go.

    Therefore I choose my highest part,
        And turn my face to thee;
    Therefore I stir my inmost heart
        To worship fervently.

    Lord, let me live and will this day--
        Keep rising from the dead;
    Lord, make my spirit good and gay--
        Give me my daily bread.

...

George MacDonald

A Prayer For The Past

    All sights and sounds of day and year,
    All groups and forms, each leaf and gem,
    Are thine, O God, nor will I fear
    To talk to thee of them.

        Too great thy heart is to despise,
    Whose day girds centuries about;
    From things which we name small, thine eyes
    See great things looking out.

        Therefore the prayerful song I sing
    May come to thee in ordered words:
    Though lowly born, it needs not cling
    In terror to its chords.

        I think that nothing made is lost;
    That not a moon has ever shone,
    That not a cloud my eyes hath crossed
    But to my soul is gone.

        That all the lost years garnered lie
    In this thy casket, my dim soul;
    And thou wilt, once, th...

George MacDonald

A Winter Prayer.

Come through the gloom of clouded skies,
    The slow dim rain and fog athwart;
Through east winds keen with wrong and lies
    Come and lift up my hopeless heart.

Come through the sickness and the pain,
    The sore unrest that tosses still;
Through aching dark that hides the gain
    Come and arouse my fainting will.

Come through the prate of foolish words,
    The science with no God behind;
Through all the pangs of untuned chords
    Speak wisdom to my shaken mind.

Through all the fears that spirits bow
    Of what hath been, or may befall,
Come down and talk with me, for thou
    Canst tell me all about them all.

Hear, hear my sad lone heart entreat,
    Heart of all joy, below, above!
Come near and let me kiss thy feet,<...

George MacDonald

A Song Prayer

    Lord Jesus,
    Oh, ease us
    Of Self that oppresses,
    Annoys and distresses
    Body and brain
    With dull pain!
    Thou never,
    Since ever,
    Save one moment only,
    Wast left, or wast lonely:
    We are alone,
    And make moan.

    Far parted,
    Dull-hearted,
    We wander, sleep-walking,
    Mere shadows, dim-stalking:
    Orphans we roam,
    Far from home.

    Oh new man,
    Sole human,
    God's son, and our brother,
    Give each to the other--
    No one left out
    In cold doubt!

    High Father,
    Oh gather
    Thy sons and thy daughters,
    Through fires and through waters,
    Home to the nest
    Of thy breast!

    There under<...

George MacDonald

A Prayer For The Past.

    Now far from my old northern land,
    I live where gentle winters pass;
    Where green seas lave a wealthy strand,
    And unsown is the grass;

        Where gorgeous sunsets claim the scope
    Of gazing heaven to spread their show,
    Hang scarlet clouds in the topmost cope,
    With fringes flaming low;

        With one beside me in whose eyes
    Once more old Nature finds a home;
    There treasures up her changeful skies,
    Her phosphorescent foam.

        O'er a new joy this day we bend,
    Soft power from heaven our souls to lift;
    A wondering wonder thou dost lend
    With loan outpassing gift--

        A little child. She sees the sun--
    Once more incarnates thy old law:
    One born of two, tw...

George MacDonald