Book of change

For those who never know the light 
The darkness is a sullen thing 
And they the children of the night 
Seem lost in fortunes winnowing 

And if there be no other life 
And if there be no other chance 
To weigh their sorrow and their strife 
Than in the scales of circumstance 

‘twere better ere the sun go down 
upon the first day we embark 
in life’s imbittered sea to drown 
than sail forever in the dark 

But if there be a soul on earth 
So blinded with its own misuse 
Of man’s revealed incessant worth 
Or worn with anguish that it views 

No light but for the mortal eye 
No rest but of a mortal sleep 
No God but in a prophet’s lie 
No faith for honest doubt to keep 

If there be nothing good or bad 
But chaos for a soul to trust 
God counts it for a soul gone mad 
And if God be God He is just 

But some are strong and some are 
Weak and there’s the story 
House and home are shut from 
Countless hearts that seek 

World-refuge that will never come.