Weekend Wisdom: Now the Day Is Over

A calm, peaceful poem for the end of the day. I highly recommend listening to Michael Crawford’s version on the CD On Eagles Wings. His version is very soothing. You will find the entire CD a joy to listen to anytime you need a dose of comfort and joy.

Now the day is over, Night is drawing nigh,

Shadows of the evening Steal across the sky.

Now the darkness gathers, Stars being to peep,

Birds and beast and flowers Soon will be asleep.

Jesus give the weary Calm and sweet repose;

With thy tend’rest blessing, May our eyelids close.

Grant to little children Visions bright of thee;

Guard the sailors, tossing On the deep blue sea.

Comfort ev’ry suff’rer Watching late in pain;

Those who plan some evil From their sin restrain.

Through the long night-watches May thine angels spread

Their white wings above me, Watching round my bed.

When the morning wakens, Then may I arise

Pure, and fresh, and sinless In thy holy eyes.

Glory to the Father, Glory to the Son,

And to thee, blest Spirit, Whilst all ages run.

Sabine Baring-Gould (pg 570 of A Sacrifice of Praise, An Anthology of Christian Poetry in English from Caedmon to the Mid-Twentieth Century, Second Edition, Edited by James H. Trott)

P.S. Michael Crawford is the original Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, The Phantom of the Opera. Other credits in his extensive career include the role of Cornelius Hackl in the movie musical Hello Dolly!, P.T. Barnum in the musical Barnum and the role of Frank Spencer in the British TV Comedy Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em.

Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her widowhood adventures hoping to inspire widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. A graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications, she’s currently using those skills as a virtual logistics contact center representative for a Fortune 100 company. She’s also managed call center teams, co-facilitated a grief support group, and helped small businesses with various writing assignments. Michele is a bookworm, and a lover of history, music, chocolate, red roses, and golden retrievers. She is also the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com.