COMMON THINGS by Clara B. Heath

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 30, 1877

COMMON THINGS.

By Clara B. Heath

[Republished by request.]

They lie around on every side, For every day some blessing brings; We look upon them without pride, For what are they but common things? So common that we have not known The loss that we should feel to-day If they were gathered, one by one, And hidden from our sight away.

So common that we use or waste As if they were our very own; We sweeten this or that to taste, And revel in our joys full blown. We lay them down, or take them up, No thankful thought about them clings, We do not care to fill our cup, Life’s golden cup, with common things.

We want some rare and precious pet, That common people cannot buy; We want the best that we can get, No matter if the price is high. Our birds are all too commonplace, Bring us some foreign one that sings, Some beauty that our halls would grace; We’ve had enough of common things!

We want the best the world affords— Pray who should have it if not we? We want the gold the miser hoards, We want the pearls that gem the sea. The world moves slow—we long to fly, How many of us sigh for wings, Yet we should pass them coldly by, Were they once classed with common things.

Whatever is most rich and grand, Whatever others most desire, We fain would hold within our hand— To things like these our thoughts aspire. We would have stars to light our way; Our choice of all Dame Fortune brings; Let us remember when we pray, That many lack for common things.

—CLARA B. HEATH, in Watchman and Reflector.