What of the Night?

To you, who look below,
Where little candles glow --
Who listen in a narrow street,
Confused with noise of passing feet --

To you 'tis wild and dark;
No light, no guide, no ark,
For travellers lost on moor and lea,
And ship-wrecked mariners at sea.

But they who stand apart,
With hushed but wakeful heart --
They hear the lulling of the gale,
And see the dawn-rise faint and pale.

A dawn whereto they grope
In trembling faith and hope,
If haply, brightening, it may cast
A gleam on path and goal at last.

--Ada Cambridge

What of the Night?

To you, who look below,
Where little candles glow --
Who listen in a narrow street,
Confused with noise of passing feet --

To you 'tis wild and dark;
No light, no guide, no ark,
For travellers lost on moor and lea,
And ship-wrecked mariners at sea.

But they who stand apart,
With hushed but wakeful heart --
They hear the lulling of the gale,
And see the dawn-rise faint and pale.

A dawn whereto they grope
In trembling faith and hope,
If haply, brightening, it may cast
A gleam on path and goal at last.

--Ada Cambridge

Honour

Me let the world disparage and despise --

As one unfettered with its gilded chains,

As one untempted by its sordid gains,

Its pleasant vice, its profitable lies;

Let Justice, blind and halt and maimed, chastise

The rebel spirit surging in my veins,

Let the Law deal me penalties and pains

And make me hideous in my neighbours' eyes.

But let me fall not in mine own esteem,

By poor deceit or selfish greed debased.

Let me be clean from secret stain and shame,

Know myself true, though false as hell I seem --

Know myself worthy, howsoe'er disgraced --

Know myself right, though every tongue should blame.

--Ada Cambridge

Honour

Me let the world disparage and despise --

As one unfettered with its gilded chains,

As one untempted by its sordid gains,

Its pleasant vice, its profitable lies;

Let Justice, blind and halt and maimed, chastise

The rebel spirit surging in my veins,

Let the Law deal me penalties and pains

And make me hideous in my neighbours' eyes.

But let me fall not in mine own esteem,

By poor deceit or selfish greed debased.

Let me be clean from secret stain and shame,

Know myself true, though false as hell I seem --

Know myself worthy, howsoe'er disgraced --

Know myself right, though every tongue should blame.

--Ada Cambridge