Poem by Harriet Beecher Stowe

The Secret

    "Thou shalt keep them in the secret of thy presence
    from the strife of tongues."

WHEN winds are raging o'er the upper ocean,
         And billows wild contend with angry roar,
'Tis said, far down beneath the wild commotion,
         That peaceful stillness reigneth evermore.

Far, far beneath, the noise of tempest dieth,
         And silver waves chime ever peacefully;
And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er he flieth,
         Disturbs the sabbath of that deeper sea.

So to the soul that knows thy love, O Purest,
         There is a temple peaceful evermore!
And all the babble of life's angry voices
         Die in hushed stillness at its sacred door.

Far, far away the noise of passion dieth,
         And loving thoughts rise ever peacefully;
And no rude storm, how fierce soe'er he flieth
         Disturbs that deeper rest, O Lord, in thee.

O rest of rests! O peace serene, eternal!
         Thou ever livest and thou changest never;
And in the secret of thy presence dwelleth
         Fulness of joy, forever and forever.

1. Below
2. Mary at the Cross
3. Abide in Me, and I in You
4. The Old Psalm Tune
5. Lines to the Memory of “Annie”, Who Died at Milan, June 6, 1860

Priscilla Levertov The Secret ("Two girls discover")

Print

2000 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version