A Celebration of Women Writers

"De Profundis." by Norah M. Holland (1876-1925)
From: Spun-Yarn And Spindrift. by Norah M. Holland. London & Toronto: J. M. Dent & Sons; New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., 1918, p. 56.

Editor: Mary Mark Ockerbloom

[Page 56] 

DE PROFUNDIS

LORD, from this prison-house that we have built,
  This dark abode of pain and misery,
                Failure and guilt,
We stretch our hands, we stretch our hands to Thee,
                Lord, set us free.

O Lord, Thou knowest all–Thou knowest well
  The groping hands, the eyes that would not see,
                The feet that fell;
Yet are we fain–are fain to come to Thee,
                Lord, set us free.

Bitter the chains that we have borne so long,
  The chains of sin we wove so heedlessly;
                Lo, Thou art strong,
Out of the deeps we cry–we cry to Thee,
                Lord, set us free.

[Page 57]

Editor: Mary Mark Ockerbloom