Sailed to-day:
Faced the grey seas and white winter skies,
None watching from the quay with straining eyes.
Sailed to-day:
Far in his distant home, sad faces bow
And whisper, "Is his ship unanchored now?"
Sailed to-day:
A tearless mother muses on the morn
They bade her cheer, because her boy was born.
Sailed to-day:
And those who loved him best urged on his flight.
The bitter message reached him but last night.
Sailed to-day:
With laugh and boon companions left behind
To mock him in the ghostly midnight wind.
Sailed to-day:
The day of loving patting is so sad,
But we have learned to think such day is glad.
Sailed to-day:
We mourn with torture-tears that drop within,
Whiten our hair, and wear our faces thin.
Sailed to-day:
O cold gray seas! O sullen winter skies!
Will there be ever summer in our eyes?
Sailed to-day:
Well, ships go out, but they come back again —
A day of joy completes long months of pain.
Sailed to-day:
And some ships go with lead and come with gold —
Sad hearts have hopes too daring to be told.
Sailed to-day:
Shall we not always feel this biting cold?
There is no summer when the heart is old.
Sailed to-day!
O God! who to the farthest deep goes down,
Who knows the strangers in the foreign town,
Out of our reach is still in reach of you,
The God who cares for sparrows loves him who
Sailed to-day!