Poems (Louisa Blake)/The Haven

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THE HAVEN.
I saw a little bark alone and castUpon a wide, unfathomable sea;The sea of human life:—The waters roundWere smooth and calm and peaceful, and it seem'dA lovely place for the light fragile thingThat floated on its surface, and the sunShone sweetly on it, as its placid breastReflected heaven:—Methought 't was beautifulTo float thus gently down the stream of life,And as I thought I look'd abroad and gazedUpon the mighty ocean which was spreadIn one grand sheet before me, and I saw(And trembled at the sight,) huge mountain waves,The least of which might in its whelming crush,Press down that slender bark forever;I wept to think that ere its voyage was o'erThe object of my fond solicitudeMust pass that dreadful sea; and if the firstTerrific breaker did not swallow it, ​It would be toss'd about, the cruel sportOf winds and waves before it should arrive(Perhaps all shatter'd) at its destined port.How prone are we to anticipate the worst!That little bark was in the hands of oneWho could uphold it in the fiercest storm;He did uphold it and made all its voyageThough short yet most delightful—while I look'd,E'en while I gazed upon it, ere it leftThe quiet tranquil spot on which it sail'd,'Twas wafted onward to a lovely shore,A blissful haven, which no storms could reach;Yet perfect and as fair as when at firstIts maker cast it on that sea of life,He took it thence—for 'twas too beautiful,Too frail and lovely far, to be toss'd round,A shattered, worthless wreck.
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