Sometimes I wake from dreams and wonder where

    I am for just a moment; then a lisp

Comes trembling to me: "papa, are you there?"

    Just those four words in just the faintest wisp

Of a wee voice, a wee and frightened tone;

    And I make haste to answer: "Yes, dear, why?"

And then she says: "Me finked me was alone---"

    Her voice trails off into a drowsy sigh.

Poor little girl! she sees no light or spark,

    And feels strange, shapeless forms around her

        creep;

But when her father's voice comes through the dark

    She knows that she is safe, and sinks to sleep;

And though the dark-time dangers are as real

    And dreadful, too, as aught on earth could be,

She hears her father's voice and seems to feel

    That all that threatened now is bound to flee.

Our Father! who art with us in the dark

    And in the light, whose presence wraps us round;

Though darkness shuts us in and no faint spark

    Doth guide our feet; and whither we are bound,

Or whence we come, is hidden from our sight

    So that we merely grope our way along

We feel Thy presence guiding us aright,

    And paths, erstwhile all dark, break into song,

And when life's bedtime becks us to our rest

    We falter at the dark that threats us then;

Like frightened children we do do our best

    To stay awake and ope our eyes again;

And in fear's perfect ecstasy we shriek :

    "Our Father! Oh, our Father I Are You there?"

And calmly through the dark Your accents speak,

    And so we bid ...farewell to every care.

So, oh, my little girl, on your old dad

    You lean, and go to sleep in sweet content;

And dad knows how you feel for he has had

    The self-same feeling; his own strength all spent,

He oft has bowed him down in bitter woe,

    When all seemed dark and life was just a spell

Of bitterness--,and then-God's voice! and, lo!

    Life's darkness turned to light! and all was well.

        Sing the South Table of Contents