Make me a cake.

Nothing in the House

-Amy Carmichael

Thy servant, Lord, hath nothing in the house,

Not even one small pot of common oil;

For he who never cometh but to spoil

Hath raided my poor house again, again,

That ruthless strong man armed, whom men call Pain.

I thought that I had courage in the house,

And patience to be quiet and endure,

And sometimes happy songs; now I am sure

Thy servant truly hath not anything,

And see, my song-bird hath a broken wing.

                 . . . .

My servant, I have come into the house---

I who know Pain's extremity so well

That there can never be the need to tell

His power to make the flesh and spirit quail:

Have I not felt the scourge, the thorn, the nail?

And I, his Conqueror, am in the house,

Let not your heart be troubled: do not fear:

Why shouldst thou, child of Mine, if I am here?

My touch will heal thy song-bird's broken wing,

And he shall have a braver song to sing.

friday poetry

He said, "I will forget the dying faces;

The empty places,

They shall be filled again.

O voices moaning deep within me, cease."

But vain the word; vain, vain:

Not in forgetting lieth peace.

He said, "I will crowd action upon action

The strife of faction

Shall stir me and sustain;

O tears that drown the fire of Manhood cease.

"But vain the word; vain, vain:

Not in endeavor lieth peace.

He said, "I will withdraw me and be quiet,

Why meddle in life's riot?

Shut be my door to pain.

Desire, thou dost befool me, thou shalt cease.

"But vain the word; vain, vain:

Not in aloofness lieth peace.

He said, "I will submit;I am defeated.

God hath depleted

My life of its rich gain.

O futile murmuring, why will ye not cease?

"But vain the word; vain, vain:

Not in submission lieth peace.

He said, "I will accept the breaking sorrow

Which God to-morrow

Will to His son explain.

"Then did the turmoil deep within him cease.

Not vain the word, not vain.

For in Acceptance lieth peace."