Living

The Eternal Now

by Ella Wheeler Wilcox 1850–1919

From Poems of Optimism (1913)

Living

Time with his back against the mighty wall,
Which hides from view all future joy and sorrow,
Hears, without answer, the impatient call
Of puny man, to tell him of to-morrow.

Moral, be wise, and to the silence bow,
These useless and unquiet ways forsaking;
Concern thyself with the Eternal Now—
To-day hold all things, ready for thy taking.

MLA

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler. “The Eternal Now.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wilcox/593/.

Chicago

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler. “The Eternal Now.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wilcox/593/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Ella Wheeler Wilcox