Hymn of the Narrow Bridge

VII. The Hymn of the Narrow Bridge The unannounced examination of existence Verse I A bridge was stretched above the deep, Where fearful souls had dared to sleep, As thin as hair, as sharp as steel, It asked the heart what it could feel, And none could know the coming test, Or which of them would stand the best, For life had called without a sign, And every step became divine. Verse II They thought their years had been the school, Where every wound had taught a rule, And now the final hour was here, To face the things they held most dear, But no examination could reveal, A worth that never needed seal, For what was never on the scale, Could never truly win or fail. Verse III O let me cross though I cannot see, The distant shore that waits for me, For certainty may never come, And fear may never be undone, Yet I shall move through what I face, Without demanding perfect grace, For movement born of honest care, Is worth the risk of standing there. Verse IV I shall not wait until the night, Has promised me a perfect light, Nor wait until the storms have ceased, Before I grant my heart its peace, For life is lived in what unfolds, Not in the future thought controls, And every step through doubt and flame, May change the one who walks the same. Final Refrain O bridge between the dark and dawn, Teach me to walk when hope seems gone, For I need not command the sea, To take the step that waits for me, And though I cannot know the end, I need not break before I bend, The path is not a promised shore, But courage to become once more.