Onceinawhile

Onceinawhile the skies grow dark,

     When our hope has all but fled;

Onceinawhile we miss the mark,

     And fall by the way instead.

Onceinawhile we suffer pain,

And the joys we’ve builded fall again,

              Onceinawhile.

Onceinawhile a harsh command

     Will sound upon our ears;

Onceinawhile we’re forced to stand

     In agony of tears.

Onceinawhile there comes a day

To sweep the best of our lives away,

And we must gaze in awe at the lifeless clay

              Onceinawhile.

Onceinawhile we’re on the brink

     Of the fatal stream of doubt;

Onceinawhile we’re prone to think

     That our lamp of faith is out.

Onceinawhile we’re on the strand,

But over against the far-off land

There waits a generous, helping hand

              Allofthewhile.

Oct. 6, 1901