Poems (Clark)/Jesus Knows

by Annie Maria Lawrence Clark

JESUS KNOWS

I cannot understand, when o'er Time's ocean
 My life-barque sailed,
Why tempests came, and why in dim confusion
 My way seemed veiled;
The reasons are not clear to my weak vision,—
 I look in vain
For that fair port, and for those fields Elysian
 I thought to gain.
But this is plain; God saw it best, and therefore
 The storm arose;
And though I cannot see the why or wherefore,
 Yet Jesus knows.

I cannot tell, why, when the day seemed clearest,
 Dark clouds should lower;
Or why the hopes that my fond heart held dearest,
 Failed in an hour:
I know not why the morning's glorious shining
 Was veiled ere noon,
Or why the fragrant garlands love was twining
 Should fade so soon.
But this I know; though God His why and where- fore
 Doth not disclose,
His purposes are ever best, and therefore
 He surely knows.

I know not now, but Jesus knows, why shadows
 Shut out the light;
Why treasures we deemed deathless, felt so soon
 The touch of blight;
Why hearts we leaned our own against, believing
 That truth held sway,
Crushed our fond trusting love with drear deceiving,
 Darkening our way.
I cannot tell; but God the why and wherefore
 May yet disclose;
He doeth all things well, and therefore
 He surely knows.

Much, much there is to our poor human vision,
 Shrouded in gloom;
Much that when questioned by our weak decision
 Seems saddest doom.
Many the treasures that we mourn, departed
 From our fond hold,
Leaving us desolate, and broken-hearted,
 With griefs untold.
We cannot fathom yet the why and wherefore
 Of joys or woes,
But our dear Lord does ever right, and therefore
 His wisdom knows.