My favorite poem

Several months ago I was at the beach. I love love LOVE the beach. 

I would wake up early in the morning and go down to see the sunrise.

 I find few things more rejuvenating than being on the beach watching the sky change. 

Maybe netflix. Yeah, that's a close second. 

One morning the sunrise was particularly striking and as I whipped out my very old camera 

my favorite poem kept coming to mind.

 It's one that I recently memorized to meet one of my 99 goals. I'm so glad I finally did! 

This has been my favorite poem for years. 

It reminds me that every effort is valuable, that the wise cling to hope rather than cynicism, 

and that there is almost always something very good on its way. Enjoy. 

Say Not the Struggle Nought Availeth

By Arthur Hugh Clough 

Say not the struggle nought availeth, 
The labour and the wounds are vain, 
The enemy faints not, nor faileth, 
And as things have been they remain.   

If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars;
It may be, in yon smoke concealed, 
Your comrades chase e'en now the fliers, 
And, but for you, possess the field.  

     

For while the tired waves, vainly breaking
Seem here no painful inch to gain, 
Far back through creeks and inlets making, 
Comes silent, flooding in, the main.  

And not by eastern windows only, 
When daylight comes, comes in the light, 
 

In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly,
But westward, look, the land is bright.