The Hands That Hang Down
O Lord, I am so tired!
My heart is sick and sore.
I work, and work, and do no good–
And I can try no more!
I lay my treasures up,
And think they’re worth such care;
And the next time I go to look,
There’s only rubbish there!
I tug hard at the door
Of knowledge–strain and pant;
But, Lord, the more I seem to learn,
The more I’m ignorant!
Sometimes I am so vain
I set myself to teach;
But e’en the first beginnings lie
Utterly out of reach!
I am no use–no use!
I thought I might have been;
But now I know how small I am,
How poor, how false, how mean!
Sunk in the dust and mire
While aiming at the skies,
Only a thing to laugh at, Lord,
To pity and despise!
Ada Cambridge
Ada Cambridge (1844-1926) was an English-born Australian writer and poet who is known for her works that focus on Australian life and culture. Her notable works include "Hymns on the Litany," "A Humble Enterprise," and "The Hand in the Dark."