 | The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings |  |
SHIPWRECK
From the piled ridge of this deserted shore,
See how wild morning-glory vines have grown,
Till like a light green, gentle tide they pour
Down the long slope of broken, wave-smoothed stone!
See how wild morning-glory vines have grown,
Till like a light green, gentle tide they pour
Down the long slope of broken, wave-smoothed stone!
7
How the bare beach is clothed as with a cool
And graceful garment, where beyond the reach
Of waves that softly break, as white as wool,
Lies scattered driftwood which the hot suns bleach.
And graceful garment, where beyond the reach
Of waves that softly break, as white as wool,
Lies scattered driftwood which the hot suns bleach.
Green leaves and rosy bloom all undisturbed
By wind or wave, safe in the summer calm;
The fury of the ocean stayed and curbed,
The mad gales hushed and breathing only balm.
By wind or wave, safe in the summer calm;
The fury of the ocean stayed and curbed,
The mad gales hushed and breathing only balm.
Silence and peace: but all the ledge is strown
With splintered timbers whitening in the sun.
Four months ago a mighty ship was thrown
Here at our feet—her crew all drowned save one.
With splintered timbers whitening in the sun.
Four months ago a mighty ship was thrown
Here at our feet—her crew all drowned save one.
The breakers tossed her like a baby's toy,
Rolled her and crushed her, broke her hull in twain,
Snapped her tall masts of oak, and to destroy
All trace of her existence e'en were fain.
Rolled her and crushed her, broke her hull in twain,
Snapped her tall masts of oak, and to destroy
All trace of her existence e'en were fain.
Her great sails beaten into shapeless rags,
Her huge hull but a heap of bristling beams,
Her dead crew scattered among reefs and crags,
Where yonder white gull floating wheels and screams.
Her huge hull but a heap of bristling beams,
Her dead crew scattered among reefs and crags,
Where yonder white gull floating wheels and screams.
She lay, a chaos, while the howling sea
Plucked at the fragments, and the hurricane
Roared at the ruin still, and sullenly
The tempest spent its useless wrath insane.
Plucked at the fragments, and the hurricane
Roared at the ruin still, and sullenly
The tempest spent its useless wrath insane.
Look at the flowers! what lavish, delicate
And glowing beauty! See this rosy bell,
This chalice of tranquillity, where late
The shattered timbers of the great ship fell.
And glowing beauty! See this rosy bell,
This chalice of tranquillity, where late
The shattered timbers of the great ship fell.
8
How fair, how sweet, how tender and divine
This glory of the morning, still and pure!
What meant that cruel wrath? Heaven makes no sign:
Humanity must patiently endure.
This glory of the morning, still and pure!
What meant that cruel wrath? Heaven makes no sign:
Humanity must patiently endure.
For death replies with silence worse than pain
To all man's pleading. Pluck the perfect flower,
Grateful for peace while peace may yet remain;
Terror and misery will claim their hour.
To all man's pleading. Pluck the perfect flower,
Grateful for peace while peace may yet remain;
Terror and misery will claim their hour.
And fruitless prayers pierce heaven from trusting souls,
Trampled defenceless the wild waves beneath,
O'er many a grave yon low, bright billow rolls,
While from the flower grace, joy and beauty breathe.
Trampled defenceless the wild waves beneath,
O'er many a grave yon low, bright billow rolls,
While from the flower grace, joy and beauty breathe.
| The heavenly guest with other unpublished writings | |