Petition by Ruth Collie (1928)
"Petition" is a devotional poem structured as a prayer in which the speaker addresses God directly, asking to retain, throughout life, a capacity for joy and a spirit of quiet duty. In the opening movement, the speaker prays never to lose delight in the natural world's small renewals — springtime's blossoms, fresh green leaves — and, by extension, in the ordinary sensory pleasures that fill daily life: patterned textiles, richly colored china, the deep grain of wood glowing after dusk, the call of a blackbird, and the resonance of the human voice. These are framed not as trivial comforts but as gifts, tokens of grace embedded in the mundane, and the speaker's petition is essentially for sustained perceptiveness — the ability to keep noticing and being moved by such things as age and habituation might otherwise dull that responsiveness. The poem then pivots from sensory gratitude to moral resolve, asking for strength to meet whatever tasks arise, to shoulder one's own burdens without shifting them onto others, and to remain a steadfast, useful friend all the way to life's end, imagined as a "winding road" nearing its "quiet end." The petition thus binds together two threads that recur across the work as a whole: an aesthetic thread, concerned with the preservation of wonder and gratitude for beauty in ordinary things, and an ethical thread, concerned with duty, self-reliance, and faithful companionship. Formally, the poem uses a loose, incantatory rhythm and repeated invocation ("O Lord, I pray that I may...") that gives it the character of a litany, each clause adding another concrete image or virtue to the speaker's request. The cumulative effect is not a demand for exceptional gifts or dramatic rescue but a plea for continuity of character — that the small, sustaining pleasures and the quiet virtues already present in the speaker's life not fade with time, effort, or hardship. Collie's diction is plain and domestic rather than ornate, favoring homely images (china, weaves, wood, birdsong) over grand theological abstraction, which grounds the prayer in lived, everyday experience rather than abstract piety. This opening section thus establishes the poem's central concern: a wish for enduring gratitude and quiet resilience, positioning contentment and steadfast service as the true objects of spiritual petition, rather than material blessing or transcendence.
By Ruth Collie · First published 1928 · Genre: Poetry, Religious/Spiritual, Devotional · 166 words
First lines
O Lord, I pray that I may e'er delight in springtime's fairy blossoms / pink and white, in green and lacy leaves; may never lose the joy that / always springs at sight of all the little daily things -- of / brightly-patterned weaves; of gaily-coloured china; rich, dark grains / that glow long after daylight wanes, wood of time-burnished hue. And / joy in sounds -- the blackbird's thrilling call, the human voice / letting rich phrases fall, all precious gifts from You. O Lord, I / pray that I may face each task and rise to its demands, nor ever ask / that others bear my load; that I may prove a loyal and helpful friend / before I reach the journey's quiet end along the winding road.
What this Textopian page supports
Petition is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ruth Collie, dated 1928 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ruth Collie
- Date: 1928 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Religious/Spiritual, Devotional, Inspirational, Nature Writing
- Length: 166 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Petition by Ruth Collie
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Genres
- Poetry — The work employs verse structure with rhyming patterns, alliteration, and poetic devices such as 'fairy blossoms pink and white' and 'time-burnished hue,' demonstrating deliberate lyrical composition.
- Religious/Spiritual — Structured as a formal prayer addressed to the Lord, expressing spiritual devotion and seeking divine blessing and guidance, central to the work's purpose and form.
- Devotional — Functions as a personal spiritual meditation expressing commitment to faith, gratitude for divine gifts, and reflection on virtue—hallmarks of devotional literature designed for contemplation.
- Inspirational — Conveys uplifting messages about finding joy in ordinary things, facing life's demands with courage, and cultivating virtues of loyalty, helpfulness, and perseverance.
Tags
poetry · Canadian literature · 20th-century literature · lyrical · reflective · spiritual · introspective · nature · emotion · human experience · devotional · literary