Explore "Love Thyself Last" by Ella Wheeler Wilcox on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Love thyself last. Look near, behold thy duty / To those who walk beside thee down life's road. / Make glad their days by little acts of beauty / And help them bear the burden of earth's load.
Love thyself last. Look far and find the stranger / Who staggers 'neath his sin and his despair; / Go, lend a hand, and lead him out of danger, / To heights where he may see the world is fair.
Love thyself last. The vastnesses above thee / Are filled with Spirit-Forces; strong and pure / And fervently these faithful friends shall love thee / Keep thou thy watch o'er others and endure.
Love thyself last, and oh! such joy shall thrill thee / As never yet to selfish souls was given; / Whate'er thy lot, a perfect peace will fill thee, / And earth shall seem the ante-room of Heaven.
Love thyself last, and thou shalt grow in spirit / To see, to hear, to know, and understand. / The message of the stars, lo, thou shalt hear it, / And all God's joys shall be at thy command.