The Mills of God

Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small;

Commentary

Commentary

Slow movement is not always absent movement. Some reckonings and some ripenings simply work on a longer clock. Longfellow offers patience without softness here. The line speaks to anyone tempted to think delay means forgetfulness or that unseen processes are not still at work. Its endurance comes from its scale. Human impatience is measured against a slower order that nonetheless proves exact.