Who Shall Deliver Me?
(The Argosy, Feb. 1866.)
God strengthen me to bear myself;That heaviest weight of all to bear,Inalienable weight of care.
All others are outside myself,I lock my door and bar them outThe turmoil, tedium, gad-about.
I lock my door upon myself,And bar them out; but who shall wallSelf from myself, most loathed of all?
If I could once lay down myself, 10 And start self-purged upon the race That all must run! Death runs apace.
If I could set aside myself,And start with lightened heart uponThe road by all men overgone!
God harden me against myself,This coward with pathetic voiceWho craves for ease, and rest, and joys:
Myself, arch-traitor to myself; My hollowest friend, my deadliest foe, 20 My clog whatever road I go.
Yet One there is can curb myself,Can roll the strangling load from me,Break off the yoke and set me free.