Abide, Abide

      When first I put my dreams against the tide 
      And against all the world's whorl, 
      Woman's word and world's spray and all 
      Did first my dreams deride. 
5     O How long since my first dream had cried 
      'Abide, abide!' 
      When next I tided life's bitter wreck 
      And fingered the fathering ashes for mirth 
      As if the cursed grave alone saved worth 
10    Along all the drear shore's long dreck, 
      Even then my quiet dream sighed 
      'Abide, abide!' 
      Thirty years' work and little profit, 
      So greedy is the white spray's strain 
15    Rowmen must beat the oar and never ask for rest; 
      And when my burning arms unlock, 
      From their dry white sockets drop, 
      They surrender under a sigh: 
      O How long's silence since 
20    My first, flung dream had cried 
      'Abide, abide!'

From the collection "The Rose Lasso"

Written by Gregg Glory [Gregg G. Brown]

More information available on gregglory.com.