 | The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings |  |
67
TURN HOME AGAIN
What dost thou, little fishing boat,
From the green flowery coast remote?
Adown the west the sun sinks fast,
It lights thy sail and slender mast,
The day declines,—O, haste thee home!
Against the rocks the breakers foam.
From the green flowery coast remote?
Adown the west the sun sinks fast,
It lights thy sail and slender mast,
The day declines,—O, haste thee home!
Against the rocks the breakers foam.
Under the measureless blue sky
Eastward the vast sea spaces lie;
Wide scattered sails upon the tide
Down o'er the world's great shoulder glide,
Or silent climb the trackless waste—
But little fisher boat, make haste!
Eastward the vast sea spaces lie;
Wide scattered sails upon the tide
Down o'er the world's great shoulder glide,
Or silent climb the trackless waste—
But little fisher boat, make haste!
Over, the white gulls soar high and scream,
Soft clouds meet in a golden dream,
Bleached rocks and turfy valleys lie
Steeped in a bright tranquillity,
But autumn wanes, and well I know
How wild the hurricane may blow!
Soft clouds meet in a golden dream,
Bleached rocks and turfy valleys lie
Steeped in a bright tranquillity,
But autumn wanes, and well I know
How wild the hurricane may blow!
Before thee lies the lonely coast.
Beckons, and like a friendly ghost,
The lighthouse signals thee; afar
I see its gleaming silver star,
Where the sun smites its glittering pane,
O, little skiff, glide home again!
Beckons, and like a friendly ghost,
The lighthouse signals thee; afar
I see its gleaming silver star,
Where the sun smites its glittering pane,
O, little skiff, glide home again!
Somewhere along the land's fair line
A light of love for thee will shine
When presently the shadows fall,
And eyes to which thy gleam is all
Of good the round world holds, will gaze
Out o'er the darkening ocean ways
A light of love for thee will shine
When presently the shadows fall,
And eyes to which thy gleam is all
Of good the round world holds, will gaze
Out o'er the darkening ocean ways
68
To seek thee: then pray hasten home!
Here swings the breaker into foam—
The waning moon breeds many a gale,
Turn then, and gladden with thy sail
The faithful eyes that long for thee;
The heart that fears the treacherous sea.
Here swings the breaker into foam—
The waning moon breeds many a gale,
Turn then, and gladden with thy sail
The faithful eyes that long for thee;
The heart that fears the treacherous sea.
| The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings | |