UPHELD
Hither and thither the ocean of life
Hath borne my wave-tossed barque,—
Now amid sunshine goldenly bright,
And now where the clouds hang dark.
Hath borne my wave-tossed barque,—
Now amid sunshine goldenly bright,
And now where the clouds hang dark.
Sometimes when the wind from the West blew fair,
I have sat in a quiet calm,
While over the radiant tide there crept
The sound of a love-fraught psalm.
I have sat in a quiet calm,
While over the radiant tide there crept
The sound of a love-fraught psalm.
And other voyagers shared my peace,
And sweet was the tender care
In which they joined in the matin hymn,
And made one in the evening prayer.
And sweet was the tender care
In which they joined in the matin hymn,
And made one in the evening prayer.
Then right in the midst of my gladsome calm,
A wind from the North swept down,
And tossed the waves to a turbulant foam,
And draped the sky with a frown.
A wind from the North swept down,
And tossed the waves to a turbulant foam,
And draped the sky with a frown.
And our fleet of boats was scattered afar,
And rent into fragments our song;
And alone and sad o'er the ocean wide,
I wearily drifted along.
And rent into fragments our song;
And alone and sad o'er the ocean wide,
I wearily drifted along.
Still farther and fainter the shore-line grew,
Still dimmer the glimpse of green,
That marked where the beautiful islands lay,—
Gems of peace 'mid the storm-darkened scene.
Still dimmer the glimpse of green,
That marked where the beautiful islands lay,—
Gems of peace 'mid the storm-darkened scene.
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