TIDE WAITS FOR NO MAN.
O Tide, O Tide, just wait one moment,
My ship is not prepared to sail;
She must be manned with sailors trusty,
Equipped to meet the coming gale.
It turned, and looking back a moment,
In angry waves this speech began:
“I cannot listen to thy pleading,
I cannot wait for any man.”
It turned and left me at my mooring,
And seemed to mock my earnest plea:
“Too long already I have tarried
On my long journey to the sea.”
Again it turned, and looking backward,
Derisively thus spoke to me;
“Thy words to me are vain and useless,
No longer will I list to thee.”
And yet he seemed to have some pity,
With kindness spake again to me.
“O man why art thou so persistent?
My work has been mapped out for me;
Was given to me by my Creator,
In æons past my work began.
I must no longer to thee listen,
I must not wait for any man.”
“Farewell O man! Farewell forever!
Dost thou not know that I am free?”
And waving me a bright good morning,
The Tide then hastened to the sea.
Alone I stood upon Life’s landing,
The waves to me this message bore:
“Thou needst no longer by me loiter.”
They then receded from the shore.
Upon Life’s shoal I now was stranded;
Alone, forsaken evermore.
All hope had with the Tide receded,
Life’s ship was left upon the shore.