Beauty by John Masefield

Here in this house, where we are singing thus,

Long generations will come after us;

Friends we shall never know will come to share

This life of ours, wondering what we were,

Long after we are gone their minds will take

The human pathways our endeavours make.

We shall not see them, but we can endow

This place with the beauty for them, here and now.

We can so live that after we are dead

They may find beauty here like daily bread.

We can so live that they may find, each one,

A life here of truth said and kindness done;

The knowledge, that this world of mysteries

Wants many thousands true for one that’s wise;

The faith, that when a twilight finds us gone,

All we have consecrated will live on

To help the souls of other unseen friends

Into a calm where beauty never ends.