 | The music-lesson of Confucius, And Other Poems |  |
136
‘PERSEVERANDO.’
STILL firm in purpose ever be,
Wherever drifts the tide,
And bear in mind, whate'er we see,
The world to all is wide.
Wherever drifts the tide,
And bear in mind, whate'er we see,
The world to all is wide.
Still firm in purpose ever be;
The soaring albatross
Sometimes must land on barren sand,
'Mid withered weeds and moss:
Sometimes be lower than the gulls,—
Crawl lower than the sea;
But when he once can spread his wings,
Far, far away goes he.
The soaring albatross
Sometimes must land on barren sand,
'Mid withered weeds and moss:
Sometimes be lower than the gulls,—
Crawl lower than the sea;
But when he once can spread his wings,
Far, far away goes he.
Great albatross!—the meanest birds
Spring up and flit away,
While thou must toil to gain a flight,
And spread those pinions grey;
But when they once are fairly poised,
Far o'er each chirping thing
Thou sailest wide to other lands,
E'en sleeping on the wing.
Spring up and flit away,
While thou must toil to gain a flight,
And spread those pinions grey;
But when they once are fairly poised,
Far o'er each chirping thing
Thou sailest wide to other lands,
E'en sleeping on the wing.
137
Oh! heart, hold fast, though hard it be
At first to win the way;
The darkest morning in the end
May prove the brightest day;
As weak a boat has reached the port,
In spite of every tide:—
Fear not that every course will fail
Until the whole are tried.
At first to win the way;
The darkest morning in the end
May prove the brightest day;
As weak a boat has reached the port,
In spite of every tide:—
Fear not that every course will fail
Until the whole are tried.
| The music-lesson of Confucius, And Other Poems | |