Prayer for This House
May nothing evil cross this door,
And may ill fortune never pry
About these windows; may the roar
And rain go by.
Strengthened by faith, these rafters will
Withstand the batt’ring of the storm;
This hearth, though all the world grow chill,
Will keep us warm.
Peace shall walk softly through these rooms,
Touching our lips with holy wine,
Till ev’ry casual corner blooms
Into a shrine.
Laughter shall drown the raucous shout;
And, though these shelt’ring walls are thin,
May they be strong to keep hate out
And hold love in.
by Louis Untermeyer
Louis Untermeyer was born on 1 October 1885 in New York City, New York, United States of America. He became a jeweler, an editor, a poet, and an anthologist. Louis Untermeyer passed on at 92 years of age on 18 December 1977 in Newtown, Connecticut, United States of America.
May nothing evil cross this door,
And may ill fortune never pry
About these windows; may the roar
And rain go by.
Strengthened by faith, these rafters will
Withstand the batt’ring of the storm;
This hearth, though all the world grow chill,
Will keep us warm.
Peace shall walk softly through these rooms,
Touching our lips with holy wine,
Till ev’ry casual corner blooms
Into a shrine.
Laughter shall drown the raucous shout;
And, though these shelt’ring walls are thin,
May they be strong to keep hate out
And hold love in.
by Louis Untermeyer
Louis Untermeyer was born on 1 October 1885 in New York City, New York, United States of America. He became a jeweler, an editor, a poet, and an anthologist. Louis Untermeyer passed on at 92 years of age on 18 December 1977 in Newtown, Connecticut, United States of America.