Gertrude's Prayer

Dayspring Mishandled

• That which is marred at birth Time shall not mend,
• Nor water out of bitter well make clean;
• All evil thing returneth at the end,
• Or elseway walketh in our blood unseen.
• Whereby the more is sorrow in certaine—
• Dayspring mishandled cometh not agen.
• To-bruized be that slender, sterting spray
• Out of the oake's rind that should betide
• A branch of girt and goodliness, straightway
• Her spring is turned on herself, and wried
• And knotted like some gall or veiney wen.—
• Dayspring mishandled cometh not againe.
• Noontide repayeth never morning-bliss—
• Sith noon to morn is incomparable;
• And, so it be our dawning goth amiss,
• None other after-hour serveth well.
• Ah! Jesu-Moder, pitie my oe paine—
• Dayspring mishandled cometh not againe!