Classic Poem

I

If there is no God for thee
Then there is no God for me,

If He sees not when you share
With the poor your frugal fare,

Does not see you at a grave,
Every instinct bred to save,

As if you were the only one
Believing in a resurrection;

When you wait, as lovers do,
Watching till your friend comes true;

Does not reverence when you take
Angry words for love's sweet sake;

If his eye does not approve
All your faith and pain and love;

If the heart of justice fail
And is for you of no avail;

If there is no Heaven for thee
Then there is no Heaven for me.

II

If the Lord they tell us of
Died for men yet loves not love;

If from out His Paradise
He shuts the innocent and wise,

The gay, obedient, simple, good,
The docile ones of friendly mood,

Those who die to save a friend
Heavenly faithful to the end;

If there is no cross for thee
Then there is no cross for me

III

If its boughs reach not so high
That they pierce through cloud and sky,

If its roots are not so sound
That they stab the heavy ground,

If it thrills not through all Nature
Plunged through every living creature,

If its leaves do not enmesh
Every bit of groaning flesh,

If it strike not its mighty spur
Through fang and claw and tooth and fur,

Grappling with rock and earth and stone,
Then indeed I stand alone.

Nothing less than this can save
Me, from out my fleshly grave.

Me, in whom such jungles are
Where the beasts go out to war.

If there is no God for thee
Then there is no God for me.