Frederick Philip Grove
THE DIRGE
(IM 15, 1-33)

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e-Edition by Gaby Divay
© August 2007

University of Manitoba Libraries	FPG & FrL Collections	University of Manitoba Archives

XXVI. "Faith, so they say..."[18] by Frederick Philip Grove Faith, so they say, has power to move the hills And to deflect great rivers from their course. Faith grants our wishes, guards us from ills, And is of every strength the potent source. But did not the apostle name these three, Faith, Hope, and Love, proclaiming that of these Love is the greatest? Fain would I decree Him right in that. Then could on love I seize As on a magic key to unseal a grave, For, though I lacked perhaps in faith and hope, I had such love as willingly would brave The gates of hell, could I, like Orpheus, grope My way into the nether world to plead With Hades there, the god of steely eyes. With love I called and knew in very deed If love could waken her, she would arise. But Love, the greatest, proving destitute Of power to lift the lid from off a tomb, The wanton Hope lay gasping; Faith was mute And mocked itself by shrugging, Faith in whom? In Memoriam 15/26