 | Rhymes with reason and without |  |
68
THE WIDOW OF NODDLE'S ISLAND.
AN IMITATION.
A fog was coming swiftly from the ocean,
Just at the close of day,
When through the window-panes, with strange emotion,
Looked the fair Widow May.
Just at the close of day,
When through the window-panes, with strange emotion,
Looked the fair Widow May.
She looked out on the river and Deer Island,
And the white walls of Lynn;
Plainly she saw, from glance at sea and highland,
A storm was setting in.
And the white walls of Lynn;
Plainly she saw, from glance at sea and highland,
A storm was setting in.
Charlestown and Chelsea, Hull, Nahant and Boston,
Were all seen dim and gray,
Fading 'mid sea-clouds they would soon be lost in,
When daylight died away.
Were all seen dim and gray,
Fading 'mid sea-clouds they would soon be lost in,
When daylight died away.
Sullen and silent, and like blankets sombre,
Those clouds throughout the night
Frightened the lonely Widow from her slumber,
And made her cheek turn white.
Those clouds throughout the night
Frightened the lonely Widow from her slumber,
And made her cheek turn white.
69
And now they poured at dawn their deep libations,
On every town and hill;
Cloud answering cloud, with washy salutations,
As mortals often will.
On every town and hill;
Cloud answering cloud, with washy salutations,
As mortals often will.
And down the coast, all drowning field and meadow,
They roar for many a mile,
As if to waken from her sleep the Widow
Of Noddle's famous Isle.
They roar for many a mile,
As if to waken from her sleep the Widow
Of Noddle's famous Isle.
Her shall no thunder from the cloud's dark quiver,
No rain-drops on the wall,
No morning shout from boatmen on the river,
Awaken with their call!
No rain-drops on the wall,
No morning shout from boatmen on the river,
Awaken with their call!
Because, there watching, with an eye to leeward,
The long line of the coast,
Stands the lone Widow gazing wildly seaward,
Still wakeful on her post.
The long line of the coast,
Stands the lone Widow gazing wildly seaward,
Still wakeful on her post.
For in the night was one, exposed to peril,
In sombre darkness hid,
Loved by the Widow fair, and surnamed Merrill,
And captain of the Squid.
In sombre darkness hid,
Loved by the Widow fair, and surnamed Merrill,
And captain of the Squid.
He sailed upon the wild, tempestuous billow,
The dark and silent deep,
And at the thought sleep fled the Widow's pillow,
Too sorrowful for sleep.
The dark and silent deep,
And at the thought sleep fled the Widow's pillow,
Too sorrowful for sleep.
70
The wind refrained not from its wild outpouring,
But smote the widow sore;
Ah, what a blow! that went through Boston roaring,
And whitened all the shore.
But smote the widow sore;
Ah, what a blow! that went through Boston roaring,
And whitened all the shore.
But the next day came up a stiff nor'wester,
The sun rose bright o'erhead;
The Squid returned, and, as the captain pressed her,
The widow's terror fled.
The sun rose bright o'erhead;
The Squid returned, and, as the captain pressed her,
The widow's terror fled.
| Rhymes with reason and without | |