Rosemary and Pansies

<h2><SPAN name="THE_RECOMPENSE" id="THE_RECOMPENSE"></SPAN>THE RECOMPENSE</h2> <div class="poetry"> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">O ancient ocean, with what courage stern<br/></span> <span class="i2">Thy tides, since time began, have sought to gain<br/></span> <span class="i2">The luring moon, toward which they rise in vain,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Yet daily to their futile aim return.<br/></span> <span class="i0">Like thee do glorious human spirits yearn<br/></span> <span class="i2">And strive and fail and strive and fail again<br/></span> <span class="i2">Some starlike aspiration to attain,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Some light that ever shall above them burn.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">Yet truly shall their recompense abide<br/></span> <span class="i2">To all who strive, although unreached their goal:<br/></span> <span class="i0">The ceaseless surgings of the ocean tide<br/></span> <span class="i2">Do cleanse the mighty waters which they roll,<br/></span> <span class="i0">And the high dreams in which it vainly sighed<br/></span> <span class="i2">Make pure the deeps of the aspiring soul.<br/></span> <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="page_22" id="page_22">{22}</SPAN></span></div> </div></div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />