Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BY THE SEA, by ANONYMOUS


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BY THE SEA, by                    
First Line: "slowly, steadily, under the moon"
Last Line: Forever and ever his will be done
Subject(s): Sea;waves; Ocean


SLOWLY, steadily, under the moon,
Swings the tide in its old-time way;
Never too late and never too soon,
And the evening and morning make up the day.

Slowly, steadily, over the sands,
And over the rocks they fall and flow;
And this wave has touched a dead man's hands,
And that one has seen a face we know.

They have borne the good ship on her way,
Or buried her deep from love and light;
And yet, as they sink at our feet to-day,
Ah, who shall interpret their message aright?

For their separate voices of grief and cheer
Are blended at last in one solemn tone;
And only this song of the waves I hear, --
"Forever and ever His will be done!"

Slowly, steadily, to and fro,
Swings our life in its weary way;
Now at its ebb and now at its flow,
And the evening and morning make up the day.

Sorrow and happiness, peace and strife,
Fear and rejoicing, its moments know;
How from the discords of such a life
Can the clear music of heaven flow?

Yet to the ear of God it swells,
And to the blessed round the throne,
Sweeter than chime of silver bells, --
"Forever and ever His will be done!"





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