 | The Comrades |  |
170
Sea Pictures
I
Blithe morning; sun and sea! Zone beyond zone,Blue frolic waves and gold clouds softly blown.
One half the globe a sapphire glass which swings
Doubling the sun.
No sail. No wink of wings.
No haze of land.
No haze of land.
Look! who comes wafted here—
What lone yet all unfearful mariner?
You cannot see him? No; he mocks the sight—
Mid such immensities so mere a mite.
Look close! That tiniest speck of brownish red,
Perched on his single subtle spider-thread!
Trust, little aeronaut, thy filmy sail.
What lone yet all unfearful mariner?
You cannot see him? No; he mocks the sight—
Mid such immensities so mere a mite.
171
Perched on his single subtle spider-thread!
Blow wind! the reef and palm-tree shall not fail.
II
Enormous sea; immeasurable night!
The shoreless waters, heaving spectral-white,
Vibrate with showers and chains of golden sparks.
The shoreless waters, heaving spectral-white,
Vibrate with showers and chains of golden sparks.
The black boat leaves a track of flame. Beneath
Run trails of blazing emerald, where the sharks
Cross and re-cross. In many a starry wreath
Innumerable medusæ shine and float.
Run trails of blazing emerald, where the sharks
Cross and re-cross. In many a starry wreath
Innumerable medusæ shine and float.
Great luminaries, through the blue-green air,
Gleam on the face of one who slowly dies.
All through the night two cavernous glazed eyes
Look blankly upward in a rigid stare.
Gleam on the face of one who slowly dies.
All through the night two cavernous glazed eyes
Look blankly upward in a rigid stare.
172
O Father in heaven, he cannot speak Thy name;
Take pity for the sake of Christ, Thy son!
There is no answer, none. No answer, none.
Take pity for the sake of Christ, Thy son!
There is no answer, none. No answer, none.
Crossing, re-crossing underneath the boat,
The lean sharks weave their web of emerald flame.
The lean sharks weave their web of emerald flame.
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