Lyrics of Life (1909)/Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving by Florence Earle Coates

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For works with similar titles, see Thanksgiving (Coates 1921). Published in Scribner's Magazine (Nov 1905).

THANKSGIVING

Now gracious plenty rules the board,  And in the purse is gold; By multitudes in glad accord  Thy giving is extolled. Ah, suffer me to thank Thee, Lord,  For what thou dost withhold! I thank Thee that howe'er we climb  There yet is something higher; That though through all our reach of time  We to the stars aspire, Still, still beyond us burns sublime  The pure sidereal fire! I thank Thee for the unexplained,  The hope that lies before, The victory that is not gained,—  O Father, more and more I thank Thee for the unattained,  The good we hunger for! I thank Thee for the voice that sings  To inner depths of being; For all the spread and sweep of wings,  From earthly bondage freeing; For mystery—the dream of things  Beyond our power of seeing!

Notes

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1923. The author died in 1927, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 80 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.