 | The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Buchanan |  |
O MARINERS.
O Mariners, out of the sunlight, and on through the infinite Main,
We have sailed, departing at morning;—and now it is morning again.
We have sailed, departing at morning;—and now it is morning again.
Dimly, darkly, and blindly, our life and our journey begun,
Blind and deaf was our sense with the fiery sands of the sun.
Blind and deaf was our sense with the fiery sands of the sun.
Then slowly, grown stronger and stronger, feeling from zone on to zone,
We passed the islands of darkness, and reached the sad Ocean, alone.
We passed the islands of darkness, and reached the sad Ocean, alone.
But now we pause for a moment, searching the east and the west,
Above and beneath us the waters that mirror our eyes in their breast!
Above and beneath us the waters that mirror our eyes in their breast!
Behind, the dawn and the darkness,—new dawn around and before,—
Ah me, we are weary, and hunger to rest, and to wonder no more.
Ah me, we are weary, and hunger to rest, and to wonder no more.
Yet never, O Mariners, never were we so stately and fair—
The forms of the flood obey us, we are lords of the birds of the air.
The forms of the flood obey us, we are lords of the birds of the air.
And yet as we sail we are weeping, and crying, ‘Although we have ranged
So far over infinite waters, transformed out of darkness and changed,
So far over infinite waters, transformed out of darkness and changed,
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We know that the Deep beneath us must drink us and wash us away’—
Nay, courage—sail on for a season—on, on to the gateways of Day.
Nay, courage—sail on for a season—on, on to the gateways of Day.
Our voyage is only beginning—its dreariest dangers are done,
We now have a compass to guide us, the Soul, and it points to the Sun!
We now have a compass to guide us, the Soul, and it points to the Sun!
The stars in their places obey us, the winds are as slaves to our sail—
Be sure that we never had journey'd so far but to perish and fail!
Be sure that we never had journey'd so far but to perish and fail!
Out of the wonderful sunlight, and on through the infinite Main,
We have sail'd, departing at morning—and now it is morning again!
We have sail'd, departing at morning—and now it is morning again!
| The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Buchanan | |