Contemplating Life

Lines Written in Early Spring

I heard a thousand blended notes,
While in a grove I sat reclined,
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran;
And much it grieved my heart to think
What man has made of man.
Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,
The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;
And ’tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
The birds around me hopped and played,
Their thoughts I cannot measure:—
But the least motion which they made
It seemed a thrill of pleasure.
The budding twigs spread out their fan,
To catch the breezy air;
And I must think, do all I can,
That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature’s holy plan,
Have I not reason to lament
What man has made of man?
                 --William Wordsworth

Life

i've searched my soul as hard as i've tried
i find my religion is unclassified
i believe in nature and laughter and love
and goodness and mercy and God up above
the sun and the rain and the winds that blow
and a hundred earthy things that i know
but i don't fit in, in a civilized way
to the rules and the customs that people say
my heaven is on earth, its the thing i share
with the whole human race- i really care
and when i am gone and just ashes remain
i'll be part of the earth and the wind and the rain
its my everlasting it seems right to me
in the big scheme of life, its the way it should be
life has been good and i don't fear the night
it's part of God's plan and i know it's all right

                               by Okie Howe