Classic Poem

It was a dreamy and delicious day,
Such as we, blissful, know in later May,
When from the shore a tiny vessel sped,
With hearts as joyous as the skies o'erhead,
Borne with its fairy grace along the wave,
While rippled forth their talk both gay and grave.
The aged sire with snowy locks was there;
The mother also with her brow of care:
Both dear and precious to the youthful band,
Who blend their buoyant hearts with strength of hand.
The children gazed afar from out the prow,
And scarce could wait the while their keel should plough
Its shining furrow through the yielding tide
To reach the shore upon the other side.
Young love was there to blend the hearts of two:
The maiden smiled; the whispered tale, so new
And yet so old, was still so full of bliss,
They saw no farther shore, nor yet saw this, —
Only each other all the voyage they saw,
Obeying thus the grand, eternal law.
With thoughtful eye, and choosing oft to stand,
Fair Lena's husband views the distant land;
While prattling childhood, at the vessel's side,
Watches the motion of the azure tide.
At last the boatman breaks the silence long,
And begs of youth and maiden each a song.
The maiden coy refuses with a smile;
The youth declares he cannot thus beguile
The hours that float too fast for him away,
Bringing the farewell with the close of day.
Then asks the husband, — proud and glad is he, —
" Dear Lena, sing the song which pleaseth me. "
Pleased with his pleasure, sharing Love's reward,
She sings a stanza in Love's sweet accord;
And soft the music floats the waters o'er,
As thus she sings the song, " From Shore to Shore. "

" In childhood's hour with careless joy
Upon the stream we glide;
With youth's bright hopes we gayly speed
To reach the other side.
From shore to shore, from shore to shore,
We're gliding on forever:
Keep watch and ward to guide and guard,
O Thou who slumberest never! "

Thus sang the wife; and then, this stanza o'er,
All sang the chorus of this " Shore to Shore. "

" From shore to shore, from shore to shore,
We're gliding on forever:
Keep watch and ward to guide and guard,
O Thou who slumberest never! "

Then silence fell, like night on Arab plain,
When ceased the music of that sweet refrain;
And, ere its sweet solemnity was o'er,
They talked together of the far-off shore, —
Not the fair land their mortal eyes descried,
But that so out of sight beyond the tide.
And heart to heart they spoke Faith's earnest word,
Trusting the love revealed by Christ the Lord;
And reverent questions met with answers then,
As silver locks replied to youthful ken;
While young and old rejoiced to know one Eye
Of Love unwearied watched them from the sky.

The noontide came; and on a fairy isle
The party rested for a pleasant while;
And mirth and gladness ruled the fiery hour,
Beneath the shelter of the woodland bower.
And while they rested, at the sire's request,
They sang the songs that tell us of the blest;
And, as they gazed their watery pathway o'er,
Another stanza came, " From Shore to Shore. "

" Manhood looks forth with careful glance;
Time steady plies the oar;
While old age calmly waits to hear
The keel upon the shore.
And when our keel shall grate at last,
Beyond the rolling river,
Thy praise we'll sing, while loud shall ring
The fair, green shore forever. "

And then the children there the chorus sang,
While all the woodland with the echoes rang, —

" From shore to shore, from shore to shore,
We're gliding on forever:
Keep watch and ward to guide and guard,
O Thou who slumberest never! "

Noon passed: the blazing sun went down the west;
The May-bloom had the isle in beauty drest;
And through its pleasant paths they sauntered long,
Mingling their cheerful talk with shout and song.
The day was rare; all hearts at peace were found;
And love made that sweet isle all hallowed ground.
The aged grandsire, with his silvery crown,
And his companion with her pure renown, —
The village friend, the solace of the poor,
The unwearied watcher by the solemn door, —
They sat, and thought of joys for them in store
When Life should blossom on the other shore;
And, with a peace that faith alone could bring,
They heard their children of that heaven sing,
And blessed the Power which o'er Life's lengthened way
Had guided them and guarded, day by day.

When o'er the waters rose the silvery moon,
Their day to lovers ended all too soon,
Once more the boatman called; then gathered they,
And homeward bound once more they launched away.
The grating keel slow glided from the shore,
And they were on the sparkling wave once more.
Homeward they sped with Peace attendant there,
The angel of the hour, serene and fair.
Hope had her pinions folded; for the day
Her promise had fulfilled, and now the way
Was o'er the moonlit tide to home's calm bliss,
The foretaste of the new earth's rest in this.
The lovers' whispered vows were hushed that night,
As hand in hand they watched the shimmering light,
And in the sparkling of their watery way
Beheld the diamonds of their wedding-day
The husband drew his Lena to his side,
And whispered, " Dearer now than when a bride. "
The old man looked on all with calm content;
The aged mother, who the day had spent
In large desire that others should be blest,
Now smiled in concert with his thought of rest;
And e'en the children, by the hour subdued.
Thought only of the beautiful and good, —
No mischief lighting up the boyish face,
Nor on the girlish brow a single trace
Of teasing mirth, but, while all bickerings cease,
Were gliding homeward o'er the path of peace.

Well might the boatman ask again the song
Which in his spirit all day could prolong
The thought of God's good will and loving care
To all his children given everywhere;
And so again the melody went o'er
The waters as they sang " From Shore to Shore. "

" Through storm or calm we glide along;
We pass from shore to shore:
With blended tears and smiles we go
To smile forevermore.
With love to God, and love to man,
The spirit of the sky,
The young and old may calmly pass
To angel-homes on high. "

So sang contented hearts, which placed their trust
In One forever merciful as just;
And thus the chorus o'er the waters hied,
While Faith's bright vision saw beyond the tide.

" From shore to shore, from shore to shore,
We're gliding on forever:
Keep watch and ward to guide and guard,
O Thou who slumberest never! "