Home Poem by John Critchley Prince

Let us honour the gods of the household alway,
Love ever the hearth and its graces,
The spot where serenely and cheerfully play
The smiles of familiar faces;
Where the calm, tender tones of affection are heard;
Where the child's gladsome carol is ringing;
Where the heart's best emotions are quickened and stirred,
By the founts that are inwardly springing.

Oh! what are the charms of the banquet-hour glee,
And the words of frivolity spoken,
To the holier joys 'neath our quiet roof-tree,
When the compact of love is unbroken?
Not the selfish delight, the obstreperous mirth,
Not the glare of conventional splendour,
May compare with the spells that encircle our hearth,
If it hold but the true and the tender.

Too long 'mid the gay revel's profitless scene
The weak one may foolishly linger,
Where false pleasure lures him with treacherous mien,
And holds him with magical finger;
But he who has wisdom to baffle the snare
Clings close to his home, and how dearly!
Fond feelings, kind looks, are in store for him there,
And gentle words uttered sincerely.

Howsoever the spirit may struggle and fret
In the conflict of worldly commotion,
There's a solace to soothe and to strengthen us yet,
If home have our truest devotion.
It needeth not hall, nor palatial dome,
To afford us a refuge so holy;
To the loving and pure any spot is a home,
Be it ever so narrow and lowly.

And home, when it is home, sounds sweet in our ears,
For it speaks of our heart-cherished treasure;
'Tis a word which beguiles us of tenderest tears,
Or thrills us with tranquillest pleasure;
It prompts us to set rude enjoyments at nought,
It chastens our speech and demeanour;
It nerves us to action, awakes us to thought,
And makes our whole being serener.

Dear home, rightly guarded and graced, is a soil
Where the virtues are constantly growing;
'Tis a sanctified shelter, the guerdon of toil,
A thousand calm blessings bestowing.
Home, country, humanity, heaven! How they please,
Things leaving all else at a distance!
Who lends a true soul, does his duty to these,
Fulfils the best ends of existence.