 | A Dream |  |
105
DESPAIRING.
I was thinking, I was dreaming,
On the strand one summer's day,
Sadly thinking, just day-dreaming,
Just to pass the time away.
On the strand one summer's day,
Sadly thinking, just day-dreaming,
Just to pass the time away.
Melancholy, sat I, thinking,
On the beach that afternoon,
As the sea gulls shrieked and fluttered,
Telling trouble sad and soon.
On the beach that afternoon,
As the sea gulls shrieked and fluttered,
Telling trouble sad and soon.
And the billows in the distance
Answered back their frantic cry:
“Thou art doomed to woe and sadness,
Thou art doomed to brood and sigh.”
Answered back their frantic cry:
“Thou art doomed to woe and sadness,
Thou art doomed to brood and sigh.”
“Am I doomed?” I groaned in anguish,
“Am I doomed to dark despair?”
“Thou art doomed,” came back the answer,
Thou art doomed to pain and care.
“Am I doomed to dark despair?”
“Thou art doomed,” came back the answer,
Thou art doomed to pain and care.
Then the echoes grew still louder,
As I sat that afternoon,
Thinking o'er past wrongs and troubles
That had come in life so soon.
As I sat that afternoon,
Thinking o'er past wrongs and troubles
That had come in life so soon.
106
“Never, never,” cried I, rising,
Shalt thou take me tide despair!”
Then I saw the tide was coming.
Through despair did I go there.
Shalt thou take me tide despair!”
Then I saw the tide was coming.
Through despair did I go there.
My despair had caused my wandering
To the beach that summer's day;
Lo! I turned my face to Heaven,
Just one word to softly say.
To the beach that summer's day;
Lo! I turned my face to Heaven,
Just one word to softly say.
Then I saw my safety yonder,
Far away from coming tide,
And I ran, in desperate madness,
With a mighty, heavy stride.
Far away from coming tide,
And I ran, in desperate madness,
With a mighty, heavy stride.
But the angry waves, mad lashing,
Followed close to drag me down!
“Never! Never!” vowed I firmly,
“In despair here shall I drown.”
Followed close to drag me down!
“Never! Never!” vowed I firmly,
“In despair here shall I drown.”
Closer, closer, gained they on me,
Round my feet the wild waves lashed,
But I braved the dreaded danger
And to safety onward dashed.
Round my feet the wild waves lashed,
But I braved the dreaded danger
And to safety onward dashed.
107
Then I turned and facing seaward,
Bade my worry all to leave;
Bade my life of woe and sadness
Fare thee well, no more I'd grieve.
Bade my worry all to leave;
Bade my life of woe and sadness
Fare thee well, no more I'd grieve.
Then I faced the world, its beauty,
Seeing pleasures, seeing joy,
Seeing all that was so glowing,
Just as bright as when a boy.
Seeing pleasures, seeing joy,
Seeing all that was so glowing,
Just as bright as when a boy.
Life is sadness if we make it,
Life is sorrow if we will,
We can drink its dregs so bitter,
We can quaff them to our fill.
Life is sorrow if we will,
We can drink its dregs so bitter,
We can quaff them to our fill.
| A Dream | |