Poem in Your Pocket day

Here is the poem I'm carrying in my pocket today:

By George MacDonald
1824-1905

I said "Let me walk in the fields."

He said "Nay, walk in town."

I said "there are no flowers there."

He said "no flowers but a crown."

I said "But the skies are black;

there is nothing but noise and din."

And he wept as he sent me back-

"There is more," He said; "There is sin."

I said "But the air is thick,

 And fogs are veiling the sun."

He answered "Yet souls are sick, 

And souls in the dark undone!"

I said "I shall miss the light,

And friends will miss me, they say."

He answered 'Choose tonight

If I am to miss you or they."

I pleaded for time to be given.

He said "is it hard to decide?

It will not seem hard in heaven 

To have followed the steps of your guide."

I cast one look at the fields,

Then set my face to town;

He said "my child do you yield?

Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"

Then into his hand went mine;

And into my heart came he:

And I walk in a light divine,

The path I had feared to see. 

I took a poetry class once and we all had to memorize a poem: this is the one I chose to memorize. I really like it.