A Prayer for Light

I kneel before Thee, Lord, oh hear my cry;
From its sore burden set my spirit free,
And give my longing wings to soar toward Thee
Through the pure ether of the upper sky,
And find Thee, find Thee, though Thou art so high!
Give me to eat from that most sacred tree
Whose leaves of healing wave eternally—
Fed full of life by Thee, I shall not die,

Or, dying, die but to be newly born
In that glad day whereof Thou art the light,—
The light whose glories do eclipse the morn,
And blind the sun, and put to death the night—
O Life, O Light, O God, let me be Thine;
Sun of all worlds, upon my darkness shine!