We are not headed to hope’s end—
We are awash in Hope’s Beginnings!²
Old Hopes become today’s Routines.³
Today we put forth the tender Leaves of
Hope—that tomorrow Blossom …⁴
Who shall say that fortune grieves him
While the Star of Hope she leaves him?⁵
When we say Hope—all we mean is Believing
It’s worth it to keep our eyes open.⁶
When we hope we Fear—
Since we hope we Dare!⁷
Expectation belongs to the body,
Whereas Hope belongs to the Soul—⁸
Hope springs Eternal in the human breast:
Man never is—but always to be Blest.⁹
Hope we rekindle and in Hope end:
Over death, over dread, out of loss,
Out of life—and into long Glory!¹⁰
¹ Latin Phrase (Dum Spiro Spero)
² Naomi Shihab Nye, Life Loves
³ Reet Stillwell, Short Time Friends
⁴ William Shakespeare, Henry VIII
⁵ Robert Burns, Ae Fond Kiss
⁶ Maggie Nelson, Bluets 32
⁷ Emily Dickinson, When I Hoped I Feared
⁸ John Berger, From A to X
⁹ Alexander Pope, Epistle 1
¹⁰ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King