Page:Poems Ryan.djvu/60

Then quickly the dark mountain disappeared,
As each and all bore some complaint away—
One he deemed lighter than his own.
A blank,
And then the golden sun illumed the earth,
An amethystine sky in beauty beamed
Upon a world disconsolate and wild;
The piercing shrieks and groans that rent the air,
Were terrible indeed for me to hear.
Each person did bewail the trade he made,
Piteously cried for his own burden back.
Days passed away, probation's time was o'er,
Once more the angel standing on the cloud,
Proclaimed aloud, "The moon has waxed and weaned,"
Of all the ills of life, now take your choice."
Again I saw the mountain of despair
Rise before an impetuous multitude.
I heard a voice as of the rustling winds:
"Contented are we all to take once more
Our own true being and its sorrows too."
Bravely each shouldered his accustomed ills,
And lightly bore his burden from the scene,
But as they disappeared, I heard some say:
"'Neath smiles and wealth, sorrows are often hid";
"In poverty, joys sometimes are obscured";
"God knows what's best for each and all.
And gives us strength to bear His easy yoke";