| Jessie B. Rittenhouse, ed. (1869–1948). The Little Book of Modern Verse. 1917. |
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| 1. Lord of My Heart’s Elation |
| | | By Bliss Carman |
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| LORD of my heart’s elation, | |
| Spirit of things unseen, | |
| Be thou my aspiration | |
| Consuming and serene! | |
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| Bear up, bear out, bear onward, | 5 |
| This mortal soul alone, | |
| To selfhood or oblivion, | |
| Incredibly thine own,— | |
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| As the foamheads are loosened | |
| And blown along the sea, | 10 |
| Or sink and merge forever | |
| In that which bids them be. | |
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| I, too, must climb in wonder, | |
| Uplift at thy command,— | |
| Be one with my frail fellows | 15 |
| Beneath the wind’s strong hand, | |
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| A fleet and shadowy column | |
| Of dust or mountain rain, | |
| To walk the earth a moment | |
| And be dissolved again. | 20 |
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| Be thou my exaltation | |
| Or fortitude of mien, | |
| Lord of the world’s elation, | |
| Thou breath of things unseen! | |
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