by Helen Maria Hunt Jackson (1830 - 1886)
Not as I will
Language: English
Blindfolded and alone I stand With unknown thresholds on each hand; The darkness deepens as I grope, Afraid to fear, afraid to hope: Yet this one thing I learn to know Each day more surely as I go, That doors are opened, ways are made, Burdens are lifted or are laid, By some great law unseen and still, Unfathomed purpose to fulfil, "Not as I will." Blindfolded and alone I wait; Loss seems too bitter, gain too late; Too heavy burdens in the load And too few helpers on the road; And joy is weak and grief is strong, And years and days so long, so long: Yet this one thing I learn to know Each day more surely as I go, That I am glad the good and ill By changeless law are ordered still, "Not as I will." "Not as I will": the sound grows sweet Each time my lips the words repeat. "Not as I will ": the darkness feels More safe than light when this thought steals Like whispered voice to calm and bless All unrest and all loneliness. "Not as I will," because the One Who loved us first and best has gone Before us on the road, and still For us must all his love fulfil, "Not as we will."
Authorship:
- by Helen Maria Hunt Jackson (1830 - 1886), "Not as I will" [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- by Clara Kathleen Rogers (1844 - 1931), "Not as I will" [voice and piano], unpublished [text not verified]
Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-22
Line count: 33
Word count: 216