The ocean looketh up to heavenAs 'twere a living thing;The homage of its waves is givenIn ceaseless worshiping.They kneel upon the sloping sand,As bends the human knee,A beautiful and tireless band,The priesthood of the sea!They pour the glittering treasures outWhich in the deep have birth,And chant their awful hymns aboutThe watching hills of earth.The green earth sends its incense upFrom every mountain-shrine,From every flower and dewy cupThat greeteth the sunshine.The mists are lifted from the rills,Like the white wing of prayer:They lean above the ancient hillsAs doing homage there.The forest-tops are lowly castO'er breezy hill and glen,As if a prayerful spirit pass'dOn nature as on men.The clouds weep o'er the fallen world,E'en as repentant love;Ere, to the blessed breeze unfurl'd,They fade in light above.The sky is as a temple's arch,The blue and wavy airIs glorious with the spirit-marchOf messengers at prayer.The gentle moon, the kindling sun,The many stars are given,As shrines to burn earth's incense on,The altar-fires of Heaven!John Greenleaf Whittier.
The ocean looketh up to heavenAs 'twere a living thing;The homage of its waves is givenIn ceaseless worshiping.They kneel upon the sloping sand,As bends the human knee,A beautiful and tireless band,The priesthood of the sea!They pour the glittering treasures outWhich in the deep have birth,And chant their awful hymns aboutThe watching hills of earth.The green earth sends its incense upFrom every mountain-shrine,From every flower and dewy cupThat greeteth the sunshine.The mists are lifted from the rills,Like the white wing of prayer:They lean above the ancient hillsAs doing homage there.The forest-tops are lowly castO'er breezy hill and glen,As if a prayerful spirit pass'dOn nature as on men.The clouds weep o'er the fallen world,E'en as repentant love;Ere, to the blessed breeze unfurl'd,They fade in light above.The sky is as a temple's arch,The blue and wavy airIs glorious with the spirit-marchOf messengers at prayer.The gentle moon, the kindling sun,The many stars are given,As shrines to burn earth's incense on,The altar-fires of Heaven!John Greenleaf Whittier.
The ocean looketh up to heavenAs 'twere a living thing;The homage of its waves is givenIn ceaseless worshiping.
The ocean looketh up to heaven
As 'twere a living thing;
The homage of its waves is given
In ceaseless worshiping.
They kneel upon the sloping sand,As bends the human knee,A beautiful and tireless band,The priesthood of the sea!
They kneel upon the sloping sand,
As bends the human knee,
A beautiful and tireless band,
The priesthood of the sea!
They pour the glittering treasures outWhich in the deep have birth,And chant their awful hymns aboutThe watching hills of earth.
They pour the glittering treasures out
Which in the deep have birth,
And chant their awful hymns about
The watching hills of earth.
The green earth sends its incense upFrom every mountain-shrine,From every flower and dewy cupThat greeteth the sunshine.
The green earth sends its incense up
From every mountain-shrine,
From every flower and dewy cup
That greeteth the sunshine.
The mists are lifted from the rills,Like the white wing of prayer:They lean above the ancient hillsAs doing homage there.
The mists are lifted from the rills,
Like the white wing of prayer:
They lean above the ancient hills
As doing homage there.
The forest-tops are lowly castO'er breezy hill and glen,As if a prayerful spirit pass'dOn nature as on men.
The forest-tops are lowly cast
O'er breezy hill and glen,
As if a prayerful spirit pass'd
On nature as on men.
The clouds weep o'er the fallen world,E'en as repentant love;Ere, to the blessed breeze unfurl'd,They fade in light above.
The clouds weep o'er the fallen world,
E'en as repentant love;
Ere, to the blessed breeze unfurl'd,
They fade in light above.
The sky is as a temple's arch,The blue and wavy airIs glorious with the spirit-marchOf messengers at prayer.
The sky is as a temple's arch,
The blue and wavy air
Is glorious with the spirit-march
Of messengers at prayer.
The gentle moon, the kindling sun,The many stars are given,As shrines to burn earth's incense on,The altar-fires of Heaven!John Greenleaf Whittier.
The gentle moon, the kindling sun,
The many stars are given,
As shrines to burn earth's incense on,
The altar-fires of Heaven!
John Greenleaf Whittier.