Joyful Town

As I went up to Joyful Town,
Fields wore their green and gold and brown,
The ploughshare sang to the glebe below,
The ripening corn stood row on row,
And a welcome true was a royal crown
As I went up to Joyful Town,

As I went up to Joyful Town,
Birds sang the very best songs they knew,
Folks clasped my hand with a right good will,
As I stood on the summit of Joyful’s hill,
And love and power and peace came down
As I gazed on beautiful Joyful Town.

As I stood forth on Joyful’s height,
I felt faith’s warmth and its glorious light,
I saw that my Lord one time was here,
And it thrilled my spirit to feel Him near,
And out before me Truth’s river lay,
Like a broad, fair jewel on the breast of day.

As I looked forth from that noble crest,
Care slipped away from my peaceful breast,
And God was speaking his grace and love
Down from the infinite depths above,
And I felt that His leading of me was grand
As I stood on that summit in Joyful Land.

Then forth I gazed beyond this time
To God’s Millennial age sublime,
When men shall all be well and strong,
And every heart shall hold a song,
And Love throughout the earth shall stand,
And earth shall all be Joyful Land.

But meanwhile I’m in Joyful Town,
Though the fields be green or the fields be brown.
There’ always a rose that blooms up here,
There’s always a bird with a song‑note clear;
And it brings love’s star though the grim night frown,
To know I can dwell in Joyful Town.

Poems of the Way
Walter Sargent