Robert Louis Stevenson: Collected Poems Edited, with an introduction and notes, by Janet Adam Smith |
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 | Robert Louis Stevenson: Collected Poems |  |
XII
[Long time I lay in little ease]
Long time I lay in little ease
Where, paced by the Turanian,
Marseilles, the many-masted, sees
The blue Mediterranean.
Where, paced by the Turanian,
Marseilles, the many-masted, sees
The blue Mediterranean.
Now songful in the hour of sport,
Now riotous for wages,
She camps around her ancient port
An ancient of the ages.
Now riotous for wages,
She camps around her ancient port
An ancient of the ages.
344
Algerian airs through all the place
Unconquerably sally;
Incomparable women pace
The shadows of the alley.
Unconquerably sally;
Incomparable women pace
The shadows of the alley.
And high o'er dock and graving yard
And where the sky is paler,
The golden virgin of the guard
Shines, beckoning the sailor.
And where the sky is paler,
The golden virgin of the guard
Shines, beckoning the sailor.
She hears the city roar on high,
Thief, prostitute and banker;
She sees the masted vessels lie
Immovably at anchor.
Thief, prostitute and banker;
She sees the masted vessels lie
Immovably at anchor.
She sees the snowy islets dot
The sea's immortal azure,
And If, that castellated spot,
Tower, turret and embrazure.
The sea's immortal azure,
And If, that castellated spot,
Tower, turret and embrazure.
There Dantès pined; and here today
Behold me his successor:
For here imprisoned long I lay
In pledge for a professor.
Behold me his successor:
For here imprisoned long I lay
In pledge for a professor.
| Robert Louis Stevenson: Collected Poems | |