[Skip Navigation]

Poetry Archives

A continuing selection of classic and contemporary poems.

A Child’s Prayer

Matilda B. Edwards

God make my life a little light,
  Within the world to glow,—
A tiny flame that burneth bright,
  Wherever I may go.

God make my life a little flower,
  That giveth joy to all;—
Content to bloom in native bower
  Although its place be small.

God make my life a little song,
  That comforteth the sad;
That helpeth others to be strong,
  And makes the singer glad.

God make my life a little staff
  Whereon the weak may rest,—
That so what health and strength I have
  May serve my neighbor best.

God make my life a little hymn
  Of tenderness and praise,—
Of faith, that never waxeth dim,
  In all His wondrous ways.
Online text © 1998-2008 Poetry X. All rights reserved.
From Required Poems for Reading and Memorizing: Third and Fourth Grades, Prescribed by State Courses of Study | 1920
Add Keyword Tags

Separate each tag with a space. You may add as many tags as you'd like to each poem.

What are tags?
Tags, sometimes called “folksonomies,” are words that describe or categorize a poem, like “20th century modernism” or “Italian sonnet”. Tags can help you find poems that have something in common, based on how other people classify them.

More Info

This site will work and look better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any Internet device.