The Poetical Works of Ernest Christopher Dowson Edited, with an introduction, by Desmond Flower |
 | I. |
 |
|
|
|
| II. |
 | The Poetical Works of Ernest Christopher Dowson |  |
155
FROM THE ICELANDIC
Long time ago, I vowed to the Sea,
My destined wife,
My one desire, I will give thee my life
To hold of me:
For others the green, the daedal earth
My joy, my sorrow, my tears, my mirth
Be thine O Sea!
My destined wife,
My one desire, I will give thee my life
To hold of me:
For others the green, the daedal earth
My joy, my sorrow, my tears, my mirth
Be thine O Sea!
They called me fickle, they called me cold,
My human loves—
Cried: ‘His fancy moves as the salt sea moves’,
Who were not told,
How thy bitter kisses held my heart,
Sealed thine forever and set apart
My bride, my Sea!
My human loves—
Cried: ‘His fancy moves as the salt sea moves’,
Who were not told,
How thy bitter kisses held my heart,
Sealed thine forever and set apart
My bride, my Sea!
O changeful one! I cried to the Sea,
O changeless one!
I forget me all things beneath the Sun,
When rocked by thee.
Thine anger woos me, thy tempests thrill,
For am I not thine, to do thy will
O Sea, my Sea?
O changeless one!
I forget me all things beneath the Sun,
When rocked by thee.
Thine anger woos me, thy tempests thrill,
For am I not thine, to do thy will
O Sea, my Sea?
156
And now thou art risen to prove my vows,
My wooing done,
I was ever thy lover—, shall I shun
To be thy spouse?
Was it not this that I knew before,
Waited and yearned for, when I swore
To wed the Sea?
My wooing done,
I was ever thy lover—, shall I shun
To be thy spouse?
Was it not this that I knew before,
Waited and yearned for, when I swore
To wed the Sea?
So!—comfort me, cool me, shed thy breath,
Spare no embrace;
Ah lean thy brow over me, shroud my face,
Kiss me to Death;
I am one with thee, O most sweet, held fast,
Made thine for ever, thy spouse at last,
O Sea, my Sea!
Spare no embrace;
Ah lean thy brow over me, shroud my face,
Kiss me to Death;
I am one with thee, O most sweet, held fast,
Made thine for ever, thy spouse at last,
O Sea, my Sea!
| The Poetical Works of Ernest Christopher Dowson | |