In the Dark

When on the black abysses of the night My little candle throws a trembling beam, At first too faint and feeble it would seem To give security to straining sight; But presently we see its tiny light Across the perilous pathway sends a gleam That pierces through the darkness vast, supreme, And step by step we find our way aright.

So in the vast and limitless unknown, That wraps us with its fearful night around, At first the beam by faith or knowledge thrown Seems but to make the darkness more profound, But presently one step ahead is shown — Enough to prove that it is solid ground.