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Hymns for Second Advent Believers 32

I Cannot Go Back

1For Canaan I've started, and on I must go,
Till all the bright glories of Eden I know;
I've made no reserve, and I'm sure I'll not lack.
While onward I journey and do not draw back.

2My soul is enkindled with rapture and love,
I fain would ascend to my Jesus above;
But nay, I must follow in his humble track,
And prove my obedience by not drawing back.

3Then on let us press, for Jesus is near,
And strengthen each other with words of good cheer;
With zeal ever buoyant and courage ne'er slack,
Let's be true to our King and never draw back.

Public Domain

The verse

Meter: 11.11.11.11
Foot: trochaic (DUM-da) · 36% of beats fit
Rhyme: AABB

Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

For Canaan I've started, and on I must go,˘/˘//˘˘˘˘//11A

Till all the bright glories of Eden I know;//˘//˘˘/˘˘/11A

I've made no reserve, and I'm sure I'll not lack.//˘˘/˘///˘/11B

While onward I journey and do not draw back.//˘˘/˘˘˘˘//11B

Verse 2

My soul is enkindled with rapture and love,˘/˘???˘/˘˘/11A

I fain would ascend to my Jesus above;˘/˘˘/˘˘/˘˘/11A

But nay, I must follow in his humble track,˘/˘//˘˘˘/˘/11B

And prove my obedience by not drawing back.˘/˘˘/˘˘˘˘/˘/12B

Verse 3

Then on let us press, for Jesus is near,/˘/˘/˘/˘˘/10A

And strengthen each other with words of good cheer;˘/˘//˘˘/˘//11A

With zeal ever buoyant and courage ne'er slack,˘//˘/˘˘/˘//11B

Let's be true to our King and never draw back./˘/˘/˘/˘/˘//12B

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.