 | [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary |  |
95
TO ELMA.
How heavily the sea-waves break!
The storm wails loud and deep;
Wake, sister, from thy slumber wake,
For, oh! I cannot sleep.
The storm wails loud and deep;
Wake, sister, from thy slumber wake,
For, oh! I cannot sleep.
My head is resting on thine arm,
Thy heart beats close to mine;
But, oh! this weary night of storm—
How can such peace be thine?
Thy heart beats close to mine;
But, oh! this weary night of storm—
How can such peace be thine?
Thou answerest not—again I hear
Thy breathing, calm and deep;
No sorrow hast thou, and no fear—
I wish that I could sleep!
Thy breathing, calm and deep;
No sorrow hast thou, and no fear—
I wish that I could sleep!
They tell of warning lights that gleam,
And ghosts such nights that glide,
And dreams—ay, once I had a dream—
'T is more than verified!
And ghosts such nights that glide,
And dreams—ay, once I had a dream—
'T is more than verified!
Louder against the flinty sand
I hear the dashing seas;
No angel holds my trembling hand
Such fearful nights as these.
I hear the dashing seas;
No angel holds my trembling hand
Such fearful nights as these.
Why strive to cheat myself, or hark
To hear the tempest laid?
'T is not the storm, and not the dark,
That makes my heart afraid!
To hear the tempest laid?
'T is not the storm, and not the dark,
That makes my heart afraid!
For if my ear, in tempest strife,
Is quickened to its roll,
'T is that the promise of my life
Is broken in my soul.
Is quickened to its roll,
'T is that the promise of my life
Is broken in my soul.
Yet speak to me! and lay thy hand
Upon my aching brow—
I' ve nothing on the sea or land
To love or cling to now.
Upon my aching brow—
I' ve nothing on the sea or land
To love or cling to now.
| [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary | |