And is the great cause lost beyond recall?
Have all the hopes of ages come to naught?
Is life no more with noble meaning fraught?
Is life but death, and love its funeral pall?
Maybe. And still on bended knees I fall,
Filled with a faith no preacher ever taught.
O God — MY God — by no false prophet wrought —
I believe still, in despite of it all!
Let go the myths and creeds of groping men.
This clay knows naught — the Potter understands.
I own that Power divine beyond my ken,
And still can leave me in His shaping hands.
But, O my God, that madest me to feel,
Forgive the anguish of the turning wheel!
This work is in the public domain in Australia because it was created in Australia and the term of copyright has expired.
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This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1927.
The author died in 1926, so this work is also in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 95 years or less. This work may also be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.