Evening Prayer by Edith Nesbit
The poem is a gentle and intimate evening prayer spoken by two parents over their child's cradle. They reject the idea of praying to a vengeful or jealous God, instead opting to address a benevolent deity who embodies love and care. The speakers seek a personal connection with this God, who is likened to a father, and ask for blessings and protection for their child.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1906 · Genre: Poetry, Religious Literature, Romantic Literature · 185 words
First lines
Not to the terrible God, avenging, bright, / Whose altars struck their roots in flame and blood, / Not to the jealous God, whose merciless might / The infamy of unclean years withstood; / But to the God who lit the evening star, / Who taught the flower to blossom in delight, / Who taught His world what love and worship are / We pray, we two, to-night.
To no vast Presence too immense to love, / To no enthronèd King too great to care, / To no strange Spirit human needs above / We bring our little, intimate, heart-warm prayer; / But to the God who is a Father too, / The Father who loved and gave His only Son / We pray across the cradle, I and you, / For ours, our little one!
Similar titles
- The Guardian Angel by Edith Nesbit
- Song by Edith Nesbit
- Teint Neutre by Edith Nesbit
- Entreaty by Edith Nesbit
- Medway Song Air Carnaval De Venise by Edith Nesbit
- Evening Song by Edith Nesbit
Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse form, with a rhythmic and rhyming structure, characteristic of poetry.
- Religious Literature — The work contains themes of prayer, God, and religious devotion, which are common in religious literature.
- Romantic Literature — The work expresses deep emotions and personal feelings, a common trait in romantic literature.
Tags
Fantasy · Children's Literature · Adventure · Magic · Imagination · Friendship · Growing Up · Self-Discovery · Mystery · Supernatural · Spirituality · Religion
What this Textopian page supports
Evening Prayer is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edith Nesbit, dated 1906 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1906 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Religious Literature, Romantic Literature
- Length: 185 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
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