Far from "where the roses rest", Round the altar and the aisle¹, Which I loved, of all, the best —— I have come to rest awhile By the ever-restless sea —— Will its waves give rest to me？

    But it is so hard to part With my roses. Do they know （Who knows but each has a heart？） How it grieves my heart to go？ Roses！ will the restless sea Bring, as ye, a rest for me？

    Ye were sweet and still and calm, Roses red and roses white； And ye sang a soundless psalm² For me in the day and night. Roses！ will the restless sea Sing as sweet as ye for me？

    Just a hundred feet away, Seaward, flows and ebbs⁴ the tide； And the wavelets, blue and gray, Moan, and white sails windward glide⁵ O'er the ever restless sea From me, far and peacefully.

    And as many feet away, Landward, rise the moss-veiled trees； And they wail⁶, the while they sway In the sad November breeze, Echoes in the sighing sea To me, near and mournfully.

    And beside me sleep the dead, In the consecrated⁷ ground； Blessed crosses o'er each head. O'er them all the Requiem⁸ sound, Chanted by the moaning sea, Echoed by each moss-veiled tree.

    Roses！ will you miss my face？ Do you know that I have gone From your fair and restful place, Far away where moveth on Night and day the restless sea？ But I saw eternity⁹

    In your faces. Roses sweet！ Ye were but the virgin¹⁰ veils, Hiding Him whose holy feet Walked the waves, whose very wails¹¹ Bring to me from Galilee Rest across the restless sea.

    And who knows？ mayhap some wave, From His footstep long ago, With the blessing¹² which He gave After ages ebb³ and flow, Cometh in from yonder sea, With a blessing sweet for me.

    Just last night I watched the deep, And it shone as shines a shrine¹³, （Vigils such I often keep） And the stars did sweetly shine O'er the altar of the sea； So they shone in Galilee.

    Roses！ round the shrine and aisle！ Which of all I loved the best, I have gone to rest awhile Where the wavelets never rest —— Ye are dearer far to me Than the ever restless sea.

    I will come to you in dreams, In the day and in the night, When the sun's or starlight's gleams Robe you in your red or white； Roses！ will you dream of me By the ever restless sea？