Church and Dory
by Thomas Partridge

The pastor prayed; 'mid meek and proud 
The whitest heads the lowest bowed ; 
And then, while shafts of music swept 
Where Sabbath sunbeams softly slept, 
The boxes asked from nave to door 
The offering of rich and poor. 
A lady bent with mien supreme 
And gave a coin of gold ; the gleam 
Of sealskin's gloss and diamond's spark, 
I could not choose but closely mark, 
For many ships the sea's wealth bear 

To him who sat beside her there. 
On this I dwelt, 'till it would seem 
My meditation merged in dream, 
And dreaming, I in spirit stood 
Where the Atlantic's uptost flood 
Bore, flutt'ring on each wave that ran 
A dory and a fisherman,— 
A helpless thing which did suggest 
A ribbon on a giant's breast. 
Miles up the wind, his ship was moored, 
His laden trawl was half secured, 
And shrieking sea gulls whirled in wait 
To swoop on each abandoned bait; 
Cold winter's gems to him adhered, 
His plate on coat, his pearls on beard, 
And spray the northern gale had cast 
Around his feet was frozen fast ; 
While ever and anon his eye 
Searched the dark banks that gathered nigh, 

And then assurance filled his face, 
To hear the fog-horn's welcome bass, 
Lo! as I gazed a rended cloud 
Showed o'er the Book the Angel bowed. 
"Recorder O, I cried; "to heaven 
"What hath this Sabbath breaker given? 
The gesture that conveyed : "Behold! 
Thus credited the coin of gold : 
”Half unto her in the seal's coat 
"And half to him within the boat; 
And as the Angel dropped the pen 
I heard the pastor's loud, "Amen!