by Edwin Markham (1852 - 1940)
A prayer
Language: English
Teach me, Father, how to go Softly as the grasses grow; Hush my soul to meet the shock Of the wild world as a rock; But my spirit, propt with power, Make as simple as a flower. Let the dry heart fill its cup, Like a poppy looking up; Let life lightly wear her crown, Like a poppy looking down, When its heart is filled with dew, And its life begins anew.
Confirmed with Edwin Markham, The Man with the Hoe and Other Poems, New York : Doubleday & McClure Co., 1900, p.13
Text Authorship:
- by Edwin Markham (1852 - 1940), "A Prayer", appears in The Man with the Hoe and Other Poems, first published 1899 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Harriet Ware (1877 - 1962), "A prayer", published 1920 [ high voice and piano ], Cincinnati : John Church Co. [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-10-30
Line count: 12
Word count: 72