Blog - Joyful Curmudgeon - Blog

Emma Willard – 17 November 2006

In yesterday’s Blog, I mentioned an old book of religious/inspirational poems. Well, today in this book I found a poem by Emma Willard (February 23, 1787 – April 15, 1870) who was an American women’s rights advocate and who, in 1814, founded the first women’s school of higher education. The school that bears her name – Emma Willard School – is located in Troy, New York.

Here is her poem:

ROCKED IN THE CRADLE OF THE DEEP
Emma Willard [1787-1870]

Rocked in the cradle of the deep
I lay me down in peace to sleep;
Secure I rest upon the wave,
For Thou, O Lord, hast power to save.
I know Thou wilt not slight my call,
For Thou dost mark the sparrow's fall;
And calm and peaceful shall I sleep,
Rocked in the cradle of the deep.

When in the dead of night I lie
And gaze upon the trackless sky,
The star-bespangled heavenly scroll,
The boundless waters as they roll,–
I feel Thy wondrous power to save
From perils of the stormy wave:
Rocked in the cradle of the deep
I calmly rest and soundly sleep.

And such the trust that still were mine,
Though stormy winds swept o'er the brine,
Or though the tempest's fiery breath
Roused me from sleep to wreck and death.
In ocean cave still safe with Thee
The gem of immortality!
And calm and peaceful shall I sleep
Rocked in the cradle of the deep.

For more poetry, see:
http://www.all-creatures.org/poetrydir.html
 

Blog - Main Page
Archive - By Date
Archive - By Subject