Poems (Kimball)/"Give us this Day our Daily Bread"

by Harriet McEwen Kimball

"GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD."

ONE longing fills my heart that else
 With earthly cravings would o'erflow;
One pure desire within me dwells
 Amid desires I would forego;
One longing deep that day by day
Sweeps every lesser wish away.

It is not that I choose no more
 Between the shadow and the sun;
That vanities no longer lure;
 That sweet and bitter are as on;
But that this longing day by day
Sweeps every lesser wish away,

If now I triumph, now I tail,
 Or now attain an inward peace,
If now temptations sore assail,
 All things this longing but increase
And oh! this longing day by day
All gains, all losses doth outweigh.

It is for Thee, for Thee alone,
 Who art beyond all language dear;
In life, in death, Thou only One
 Who stoopest low, who drawest near;
For Thee I hunger day by day,
And pray the more the more I pray.

Come, Daily Bread of gracious taste;
 Sweet Manna endlessly supplied;
Thou hidden Joy that cannot waste;
 Our Wayside Strength, however tried
Come, Blessed Jesus, day by day,
Lest we should faint beside the way!

Come, God and Saviour, to Thine own
 Revealed to Faith's anointed eyes,
Make Thou Thy very Presence known
 Though veiled in holy mysteries;
And oh!—the sum of all I pray—
Sweep Thou at last the veil away!