Olney Hymn 61: The Narrow Way

William Cowper 1731 (Berkhamsted) – 1800 (Dereham)



What thousands never knew the road!
What thousands hate it when 'tis known!
None but the chosen tribes of God
Will seek or choose it for their own.

A thousand ways in ruin end,
One only leads to joys on high;
By that my willing steps ascend,
Pleased with a journey to the sky.

No more I ask or hope to find
Delight or happiness below;
Sorrow may well possess the mind
That feeds where thorns and thistles grow.

The joy that fades is not for me,
I seek immortal joys above;
There glory without end shall be
The bright reward of faith and love.

Cleave to the world, ye sordid worms,
Contented lick your native dust!
But God shall fight with all his storms,
Against the idol of your trust.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

39 sec read
36

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAXA BCBC DEDE FGFG XHXH
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 694
Words 133
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

William Cowper

William Macquarie Cowper was an Australian Anglican archdeacon and Dean of Sydney. more…

All William Cowper poems | William Cowper Books

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