From, The Conflict of Convictions
by Herman Melville

American novelist, poet and short story writer.

Best known for his novels of the sea including Moby Dick (1851). His other works include Typee (1846), Omoo (1847), White-Jacket (1850), Pierre, or the Ambiguities (1852), Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile (1855), the satirical The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade (1857), four collections of verse including Timoleon (1891) and a number of sketches and short stories for magazines, some of which were collected in The Piazza Tales (1856).

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From, The Conflict of Convictions
by Herman Melville

The Ancient of Days forever is young,
Forever the scheme of Nature thrives;
I know a wind in purpose strong -
It spins against the way it drives.
What if the gulfs their slimed foundations bare?
So deep must the stones he hurled
Whereon the throes of ages rear
The final empire and the happier world.

Power unanointed may come -
Dominion (unsought by the free)
And the Iron Dome,
Stronger for stress and strain,
Fling her huge shadow athwart the main;
But the Founders' dream shall flee.
Age after age has been,
(From man's changeless heart their way they win);
And death be busy with all who strive -
Death, with silent negative.

Yea and Nay -
Each hath his say;
But God He keeps the middle way.
None was by
When He spread the sky;
Wisdom is vain and prophecy.

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From, The Conflict of Convictions by Herman Melville