 > Funeral Poems > Like As The Waves Make Towards The Pebbled Shore

Like As The Waves Make Towards The Pebbled Shore

This Page Includes: Full Verses of the Poem in Text. A Recording of the Poem (Audio). A Free PDF Download for reading purposes. Free Editable Google Doc Download if you wish to make changes or to personalise the poem. The page also includes what the poem is about, structure of poem and explaining the best parts.

Like As The Waves Make Towards The Pebbled Shore Poem Verses

Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore,
So do our minutes hasten to their end,
Each changing place with that which goes before,
In sequent toil all forwards do contend.
Nativity, once in the main of light,
Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crown‘d,
Crooked eclipses ‗gainst his glory fight,
And Time, that gave, doth now his gift confound.
Time doth transfix the flourish set on youth,
And delves the parallels in beauty‘s brow;
Feels on the rarities of nature‘s truth,
And nothing stands but for his scythe to mow.
And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand,
Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand.

Audio Recording

Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as 'Like As The Waves Make Towards The Pebbled Shore' can be tailored/personalised

Download Poem

Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as 'Like As The Waves Make Towards The Pebbled Shore' can be tailored/personalised

Donwload As PDF

Personalised Poem

Would you like to customise this poem? You have the option to personalise it by accessing the provided link, which will direct you to Google Docs. From there, you can download the poem ‘Memories’ to your personal Google Docs account or Microsoft Word where you will be able to edit the poem however you want.

Personalised Poem

About the poem

The poem is a meditation on the fleeting nature of time and the inevitability of mortality. The speaker compares the passing of time to the constant motion of waves washing up on the shore, and observes that everything in life is subject to change and decay. Even youth and beauty are not immune to the destructive force of time, which inevitably brings us closer to our end. Despite this, the speaker expresses a hope that their words will endure and continue to praise the worth of the person addressed in the poem, despite the passage of time.

The Structure of Poem

The poem is a Shakespearean sonnet consisting of three quatrains and a final couplet, with the rhyme scheme abab cdcd efef gg. The poem reflects on the transience of life and the inevitability of aging and death. It uses the metaphor of waves rushing towards the shore to represent the passage of time, and how each moment is quickly replaced by the next. The poem also touches on the theme of the power of time to diminish beauty and youth, but ultimately expresses hope that the poet's praise of his subject will endure despite the destructive force of time.

Best Quote from Like As The Waves Make Towards The Pebbled Shore Poem

This is a quote from the poem Like As The Waves Make Towards The Pebbled Shore by William Shakespeare

"And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand, Praising thy worth, despite his cruel hand."

This quote suggests that even though time may bring an end to all things, the power of art and creativity can endure beyond the limitations of time. The speaker expresses the hope that their verse will continue to exist and praise the worth of the subject, despite the ravages of time. This quote can be used to inspire hope and optimism in those who fear the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of mortality. It can encourage them to focus on leaving a positive legacy and to create works of art or other creative endeavors that can endure beyond their lifetime.