When first I saw the Old Mill Wheel, I was a carefree boy,
Whose world, ablaze with hope and truth, filled all my days with joy-
I stood upon an ancient bridge, beneath, a clear stream flowing,
Aroused no thought of whence it came, or whither was it going.
For all my mind was on the wheel, that there before me rumbled,
Ands shed great tears, or so it seemed, and groaned aloud and grumbled.
I had not seen its likes before, and watched, amazed with wonder.
While ever round and round it went and boomed like distant thunder.
I moved along the vacant bridge until I got much nearer,
The labouring wheel, that I might see its noisy movement clearer.
I saw, and felt I understood why ever thus it turned-
‘twas driven by a strong head race, that having driven was spurned
beneath the wheel's revolving course, yet its instant flowing
relentlessly the paddles filled and kept the great wheel going,
“that race is hard and cruel” I thought, “to keep the wheel thus toiling
to drive the mill to do its work of crushing, grinding, and moiling”.
Now many years I've struggle up life's steep and rugged highway,
And having almost reached the end look back upon that bright day.
When driving race and turning wheel, and mill with voice of thunder,
First held me awestruck on the bridge dumbfounded with the wonder,
And many a time adown those years I've watched the great wheel going.
I've seen the head-race splash, splash, splash into the paddles flowing;
I've heard the thunder of the mill the noise of constant moiling,
Seen happy men at blessed work within the old place toiling,
But now, alas, the wheel is still, without a groan or rumble,
And sadly in the village street, is missed its pleasant rumble.
The busy mill is silent too, ‘tis empty, lonely, dreary,
And like the wheel and mill he loved, the miller too, grown weary.
Now sleeps in holy ground nearby, above him night winds chanting,
Sing requiem low, a lullaby a soothing sound and haunting,
That wraps his sleep in pleasant dreams, until the trumpets warning.
Calls him to walk among the blessed on Resurrection morning.