The Lesson of the Water-Mill

It's very rare that I get serious, but a friend of mine was putting together a scrapbook for his daughter's Christening and asked everyone to contribute a poem or quote.


Now I am really not into poetry in a huge way (there are perhaps 5 poems that I genuinely like), but the one below is one of my favourites. Joanie gave me a copy of it for my 18th birthday and I always thought the sentiment was both beautiful and timeless. When speaking about it, I realised that not many people had heard of it, so thought I'd reproduce it in it's entirety below.


That's enough sensitivity for one day - I promise I'll be funnier tomorrow.



Listen to the water-mill
Through the livelong day,
How the clicking of its wheell
Wears the hours away!
Languidly the autumn wind,
stirs the forest leaves,
From the field the reapers sing,
Binding up their sheaves;
And the proverb haunts my mind
As a spell is cast–
“The mill cannot grind
With the water that has past.”


Autumn winds revive no more
Leaves that once are shed,
And the sickle cannot reap
Corn once gatheres;
Flows the ruffled streamlet on,
Tranquil, deep, and still;
Never gliding back again
To the water-mill
Truly speaks the proverb old
With meaning vast–
“The mill cannot grind
With the water that has past.”


Take the lesson to thyself,
True and loving heart;
Golden youth is fleeting by,
Summer hours depart;
Learn to make the most of life,
Lose no happy day;
Time will never bring thee back
Chances swept away!
Leave no tender word unsaid
Love while love shall last–
“The mill cannot grind
With the water that has past.”


Work while yet the daylight shines,
Man of strength and will!
Never does the streamlet glide
Useless by the mill;
Wait not till to-morrrow’s sun
Beams upon thy way
All that thou canst call thine own
Lies in thy “To-day”‘
Power, intellect and health
May not always last–
“The mill cannot grind
With the water that has past.”


Oh, the wasted hours of life
That have drifted by!
Oh, the good that might have been–
Lost, without a sigh!
Love that we once have saved
By a single word,
Thoughts conceived, but never penned,
Perishing unheard;–
Take the proverb to thine heart,
Take, and hold it fast–
“The mill cannot grind
With the water that has past.”


- Sarah Doudney 1841-1926