Poem - The Battered Dream Ship by Edgar Guest
Oh, once I sent a ship to sea, and Hope was on her bow, But Time has brought her back to me and Wisdom's painted now; Yes, Time has brought me many things and some of them were good. And some of them were failure's stings I little understood.When Hope set forth the dream was fair, the sea was calm and blue, I knew men met with storms out there and had to ride them through; But still I dreamed my ship would ride and weather every blow, For Hope flings many a truth aside which Wisdom comes to know. The storms have come with bitter cold, I've prayed unto the Lord, I've had false cargoes in the hold and thrown them overboard; I've trimmed my sails to meet the gale, I've cut my journey short; With battered hulk and battered sail at last I've come to port. 'Tis not enough to hope and dream, for storms will surely rise, However smooth the sea may seem, 'tis there disaster lies; And I have learned from time and stress, that those who ride the wave, And come at last to happiness must suffer and be brave.