Famous John Greenleaf Whittier Quotes

Again the blackbirds sings; the streams Wake, laughing, from their winter dreams, And tremble in the April showers The tassels of the maple flowers.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Ah! on Thanksgiving day, when from East and from West, From North and South, come the pilgrim and guest, When the gray-haired New Englander sees round his board The old broken links of affection restored, When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more, And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled before. What moistens the lips and what brightens the eye? What calls back the past, like the rich pumpkin pie?
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Alas for him who never sees The stars shine through his cypress-trees Who, hopeless, lays his dead away, Nor looks to see the breaking day Across the mournful marbles play!
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

And close at hand, the basket stood With nuts from brown October's wood.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

And let these altars, wreathed with flowers And piled with fruits, awake again Thanksgivings for the golden hours, The early and the latter rain!
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

As a small businessperson, you have no greater leverage than the truth.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Blow, bugles of battle, the marches of peace; East, west, north, and south let the long quarrel cease; Sing the song of great joy that the angels began, Sing the glory to God and of good-will to man!
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Cast not the clouded gem away, Quench not the dim but living ray,-- My brother man, Beware! With that deep voice which from the skies Forbade the Patriarch's sacrifice. God's angel, cries, Forbear!
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Clothe with life the weak intent, let me be the thing I meant.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Continuing a short series on forgiveness: When on my day of life the night is falling, And, in the winds from unsunned spaces blown, I hear far voices out of darkness calling My feet to paths unknown, Thou who hast made my home of life so pleasant Leave not its tenant when its walls decay; O Love Divine, O Helper ever-present, Be Thou my strength and stay! Be near me when all else is from me drifting; Earth, sky, home's pictures, days of shade and shine, And kindly faces to my own uplifting The love that answers mine. I have but Thee, my Father! let Thy spirit Be with me then to comfort and uphold; No gate of pearl, no branch of palm I merit, Nor street of shining gold. Suffice it if -- my good and ill unreckoned, And both forgiven through Thy abounding grace - I find myself by hands familiar beckoned Unto my fitting place.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Feast of Cyril & Methodius, Missionaries to the Slavs, 869 & 885 Commemoration of Valentine, Martyr at Rome, c.269 I see the wrong that round me lies, I feel the guilt within; I hear, with groan and travail-cries, The world confess its sin. Yet, in the maddening maze of things, And tossed by storm and flood, To one fixed trust my spirit clings I know that God is good!
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: "It might have been!".
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Give fools their gold, and knaves their power; Let fortune's bubbles rise and fall; Who sows a field, or trains a flower, Or plants a tree, is more than all.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

God gives quietness at last.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Green calm below, blue quietness above.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Maud Muller looked and sighed: :Ah me! That I the Judge's bride might be! He would dress me up in silks so fine, And praise and toast me at his wine."
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Method goes far to prevent trouble in business: for it makes the task easy, hinders confusion, saves abundance of time, and instructs those that have business depending, both what to do and what to hope.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Of all the words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these... it might have been.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Peace hath higher tests of manhood Than battle ever knew.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier

Press bravely onward!--not in vain Your generous trust in human kind; The good which bloodshed could not gain Your peaceful zeal shall find.
-- John Greenleaf Whittier