The Optimist
The earth is green, the earth is wide,
And when its widest bound is past,
There are the stars on every side,
For soaring souls to win at last—
There is no bound for those that fly,
Floorless and roofless is the sky,
Hope knows no hindrance but clipped wings,
So, throughout all life’s little while,
My heart is happy, and I smile,
In spite of many things,
In spite of pain,
In spite of fears,
In spite of want,
In spite of tears
—In spite of you.
Mine is the future, and the past,
The growing and the dying gleam,
Mine is ambition till the last,
And there are dreams for me to dream.
Mine is the sagging Winter day,
Mine too the softness of the May,
The lusty strength of bread and wine,
The valiant dawn, the pondering night,
The flowering change from dark to light,
All holy things are mine,
In spite of pain,
In spite of fears,
In spite of want,
In spite of tears
—In spite of you.
Adventure weaves the shining dress
Experience at last shall wear,
Grief, rapture, triumph, bitterness
Combine to trace the pattern there.
All sorrow that my soul assails
Helps to embroider golden veils
To deck me in the glorious day
When I shall reign in endless rest,
So strength and laughter fill my breast,
And on my heartstrings play,
In spite of pain,
In spite of fears,
In spite of want,
In spite of tears
—In spite of you.