Vigilate et Orate

Patient Watcher, worn and weary,
          Waiting, waking
          For the breaking
Of the God’s day, on the dreary
Eerie night of sin and care,
          Vigilate,
          Et orate,
Till the East with morning flare.

Watch and pray, with earnest asking,
          With the anguish
          Or work-language,
All thy soul and body tasking,
Basking in no sensuous glare;
          Laborare
          Est orare;
Work is worship’s worthiest prayer,

With the plow and ringing hammer,
          With thy words-play,
          And thy sword-away,
Keel and wheel, that in their clamor,
Stammer not, ring down despair:
          Vigilate
          Et orate,
Lest the foe come unaware.

Wrong is strong but right eternal;
          Ever onward,
          God-ward, sun-ward,
          Gathering in fields supernal,
Vernal newness firm and fair,
          Vigilate
          Et orate,
Never swerving, do and darel

Smite the flinty conscience, sleeping,
          Paralytic
          In mephitic,
Sin-reek, till thy blows down-sweeping
Leaping fire-flakes fling in daring,
          Laborate
          Et orate;
Startling morning from its lair.

God works only with the Worker;
          Idle begging,
          Lets the lagging
World drift back, till ever murker,
Lurk her doom-clouds everywhere;
          Vigilate,
          Et orate,
Heaven and hell thy vigil share.