The Complete Poems of Anne Brontë/The Narrow Way

by Anne Brontë

For other versions of this work, see The Narrow Way.

THE NARROW WAY

Believe not those who say
The upward path is smooth,^[1]
Lest thou shouldst stumble in the way,
And faint before the truth.

It is the only road
Unto the realms of joy;^[2]
But he who seeks that blest abode
Must all his powers employ.

Bright hopes and pure delights
Upon his course may beam,
And there, amid the sternest^[3] heights,
The sweetest flowerets gleam.

On all her breezes borne,
Earth yields no scents like those;
But he that dares not grasp the thorn
Should never crave the rose.

Arm—arm thee for the fight!
Cast useless loads away;
Watch through the darkest hours of night,
Toil through the hottest day.

Crush pride into the dust,
Or thou must needs be slack;
And trample down rebellious lust,
Or it will hold thee back.

Seek not thy honour here;
Waive pleasure and renown;
The world's dread scoff undaunted bear,
And face its deadliest frown.

To labour and to love,
To pardon and endure,
To lift thy heart to God above,
And keep thy conscience pure;

Be this thy constant aim,
Thy hope,^[4] thy chief delight;
What matter who should whisper blame,
Or who should scorn or slight?

What matter, if thy God approve,
And if, within thy breast,
Thou feel the comfort of His love,
The earnest of His rest?

A. B.
April 27, 1848.
40 lines.

 

1. Cancelled readings:—
   The Heavenward path is smooth,
2. That leads to perfect joy;
   But they who seek that blest abode
   Must all their powers employ.
3. Variation in MS.: wildest.
4. Variation in MS.: prayer.