Living

Whatever Is—Is Best

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1850–1919

From Poems of Pleasure (1888)

Living

I know as my life grows older,
And mine eyes have clearer sight--
That under each rank wrong, somewhere
There lies the root of Right;
That each sorrow has its purpose,
By the sorrowing oft unguessed,
But as sure as the sun brings morning,
Whatever is--is best.

I know that each sinful action,
As sure as the night brings shade,
Is somewhere, sometime punished,
Tho’ the hour be long delayed.
I know that the soul is aided
Sometimes by the heart’s unrest,
And to grow means often to suffer--
But whatever is--is best.

I know there are no errors,
In the great Eternal plan,
And all things work together
For the final good of man.
And I know when my soul speeds onward,
In its grand Eternal quest,
I shall say as I look back earthward,
Whatever is--is best.

MLA

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler. “Whatever Is—Is Best.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wilcox/483/.

Chicago

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler. “Whatever Is—Is Best.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wilcox/483/.

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