Children dear, was it yesterday?

Children dear, were we long alone?

“The sea grows stormy, the little ones moan.

Long prayers,” I said, “in the world they say.

Come!” I said, and we rose through the surf in the bay.

We went up the beach, by the sandy down

Where the sea-stocks bloom, to the white-walled town.

Through the narrow paved streets, where all was still,

To the little grey church on the windy hill.

From the church came a murmur of folk at their prayers,