This day, O God, thy blessed hand <br />Hath thrown wide open all thy stores, <br />And filled with bounty every land, <br />The sea, and all its sounding shores. <br /> <br /> <br />Beast, bird, fish, insect, hast thou fed <br />With fish or flesh, with grass or grain;- <br />For man a table hast thou spread <br />From field, flood, air, or roaring main. <br /> <br /> <br />But, for all things o'er earth that move, <br />In air or ocean soar or sink, <br />One thing hath thine unbounded love, <br />And only one, prepared for drink. <br /> <br /> <br />'T is water! In the living spring <br />It gusheth up to meet our lip; <br />In brooks we hear it murmuring, <br />From mossy rocks we see it drip. <br /> <br /> <br />It filleth Health and Beauty's cup, <br />And wrath and sorrow doth it drown, <br />As from our wells it cometh up, <br />As from thy clouds it cometh down. <br /> <br /> <br />For the cool water we have quaffed, <br />Source of all good! we owe thee much; <br />Our lips have touched no burning draught <br />This day, nor shall they ever touch. <br /> <br /> <br />When we retire to our repose, <br />And Night's dark curtains round us draw, <br />O guard us, as thou guardest those <br />Who trust thy care, and keep thy law!<br /><br />John Pierpont<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/hymns-and-odes-for-temperance-occasions-xiii/
