We rise to play a greater part

From bitter searching of the heart

mentalblog cover: Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, Artist in His Studio, c. 1628. Rembrandt was about 21-22 when he painted this.

“Villanelle for Our Time” – Frank. R. Scott, March 1944:

From bitter searching of the heart,
Quickened with passion and with pain
We rise to play a greater part.

This is the faith from which we start:
Men shall know commonwealth again
From bitter searching of the heart.

We loved the easy and the smart,
But now with keener hand and brain
We rise to play a greater part.

The lesser loyalties depart
And neither race nor creed remain
From bitter searching of the heart.

Not steering by the venal chart
that tricked the mass for private gain,
We rise to play a greater part.

Reshaping narrow law and art
Whose symbols are the millions slain,
From bitter searching of the heart
We rise to play a greater part.