TIDE WAITS FOR NO MAN.
O Tide, O Tide, just wait one moment,My ship is not prepared to sail;She must be manned with sailors trusty,Equipped to meet the coming gale.It turned, and looking back a moment,In angry waves this speech began:“I cannot listen to thy pleading,I cannot wait for any man.”It turned and left me at my mooring,And seemed to mock my earnest plea:“Too long already I have tarriedOn my long journey to the sea.”Again it turned, and looking backward,Derisively thus spoke to me;“Thy words to me are vain and useless,No longer will I list to thee.”And yet he seemed to have some pity,With kindness spake again to me.“O man why art thou so persistent?My work has been mapped out for me;Was given to me by my Creator,In æons past my work began.I must no longer to thee listen,I must not wait for any man.”“Farewell O man! Farewell forever!Dost thou not know that I am free?”And waving me a bright good morning,The Tide then hastened to the sea.Alone I stood upon Life’s landing,The waves to me this message bore:“Thou needst no longer by me loiter.”They then receded from the shore.Upon Life’s shoal I now was stranded;Alone, forsaken evermore.All hope had with the Tide receded,Life’s ship was left upon the shore.
O Tide, O Tide, just wait one moment,My ship is not prepared to sail;She must be manned with sailors trusty,Equipped to meet the coming gale.It turned, and looking back a moment,In angry waves this speech began:“I cannot listen to thy pleading,I cannot wait for any man.”It turned and left me at my mooring,And seemed to mock my earnest plea:“Too long already I have tarriedOn my long journey to the sea.”Again it turned, and looking backward,Derisively thus spoke to me;“Thy words to me are vain and useless,No longer will I list to thee.”And yet he seemed to have some pity,With kindness spake again to me.“O man why art thou so persistent?My work has been mapped out for me;Was given to me by my Creator,In æons past my work began.I must no longer to thee listen,I must not wait for any man.”“Farewell O man! Farewell forever!Dost thou not know that I am free?”And waving me a bright good morning,The Tide then hastened to the sea.Alone I stood upon Life’s landing,The waves to me this message bore:“Thou needst no longer by me loiter.”They then receded from the shore.Upon Life’s shoal I now was stranded;Alone, forsaken evermore.All hope had with the Tide receded,Life’s ship was left upon the shore.