Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Our Union is river, lake, ocean, and sky:
Man breaks not the medal, when God cuts the die!
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Our Union is river, lake, ocean, and sky:
Man breaks not the medal, when God cuts the die!
Though darkened with sulphur, though cloven with steel,
The blue arch will brighten, the waters will heal!

As vessels starting from ports thousands of miles apart pass
close to each other in the naked breadth of read more

As vessels starting from ports thousands of miles apart pass
close to each other in the naked breadth of the ocean, nay,
sometimes even touch in the dark.

The wind blows out, the bubble dies;
The spring entomb'd in autumn lies;
The dew dries up; read more

The wind blows out, the bubble dies;
The spring entomb'd in autumn lies;
The dew dries up; the star is shot;
The flight is past--and man forgot.

Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the God read more

Nail to the mast her holy flag,
Set every threadbare sail,
And give her to the God of storms,
The lightning and the gale.