I sought to stand for God

Tall, straight and proud,

An oak of righteousness

Head in a cloud.

 

The spirit winds that blew

Stripped all my leaf,

Broke heavy branches off,

Trunk split in grief.

 

The gentle morning sun

Shone down on me,

My helplessness complete,

A useless tree.

 

But in my place I saw

My acorn child,

New life from out of old

Because I died.

 

Let wind and Spirit break

That which is me,

That in its place You grow

For men to see.

 

Mary Carpenter (1807-77).