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Sonnets Round the Coast

by H. D. Rawnsley
Rawnsley, H. D. (1851-1920)
  
[dedication]

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[section]
expand sectionI. 
BOOK I. SONNETS OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT AND SOUTH COAST.
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BOOK II. SONNETS OF THE CORNISH COASTS.
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BOOK III. SONNETS OF THE BRISTOL CHANNEL.
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BOOK IV. SONNETS OF THE WELSH COAST.
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BOOK V. SONNETS OF THE LANCASHIRE AND CUMBERLAND COASTS.
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BOOK VI. SONNETS OF THE NORTH-EAST COAST.
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BOOK VII.
expand sectionI. 
Part I SONNETS OF THE YORKSHIRE COAST—SALTBURN.
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Part II. SONNETS OF THE YORKSHIRE COAST-RUNSWICK BAY.
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Part III. SONNETS OF THE YORKSHIRE COAST—WHITBY.
 I. 
I. THE SORROW OF THE SEA.
 II. 
II. WHITBY.
 III. 
III. SAINT HILDA.
 IV. 
IV. BY THE ESK AT WHITBY.
 V. 
V. A CONTRAST: WHITBY.
 VI. 
VI. A MEMORY OF CAEDMON, WHITBY.
 VII. 
VII. SUNRISE AT WHITBY.
 VIII. 
VIII. A SUNSET AT WHITBY.
 IX. 
IX. WHITBY ABBEY.
 X. 
X. WHITBY ABBEY.
 XI. 
XI. AFTER THE HERRINGS, WHITBY.
 XII. 
XII. HERRINGS FINE!
 XIII. 
XIII. IN THE UPPER HARBOUR, WHITBY.
 XIV. 
XIV. THE BELL BUOY AT THE HARBOUR MOUTH, WHITBY.
 XV. 
XV. ON THE HARBOUR PIER, WHITBY.
 XVI. 
XVI. LIGHTS ON WHITBY CHURCH STAIRS.
 XVII. 
XVII. SAINT HILDA'S LIGHTS.
 XVIII. 
XVIII. SUNSET LIGHTS ON THE WINDOWS OF SAINT MARY'S CHURCH, WHITBY.
 XIX. 
XIX. THE SIX O'CLOCK BELL, WHITBY.
 XX. 
XX. THE JET WORKER.
 XXI. 
XXI. THE WHITBY BELLS.
 XXII. 
XXII. SERVICE IN THE OLD PARISH CHURCH, WHITBY.
 XXIII. 
XXIII. DROWNED BY THE UPSETTING OF THE LIFE-BOAT, OCTOBER 6, 1841.
 XXIV. 
XXIV. FAREWELL TO WHITBY.
 XXV. 
XXV. THE PENNY HEDGE.
 XXVI. 
XXVI. THE BEGGAR'S BRIDGE, GLAISDALE.
 XXVII. 
XXVII. ON A MOORLAND RAILWAY.
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII. PICKERING MOOR,
 XXIX. 
XXIX. LILLA CROSS.
 XXX. 
XXX. GOATHLAND.
 XXXI. 
XXXI. IN GLAISDALE WOOD.
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Part iv. SONNETS OF THE YORKSHIRE COAST—SCARBOROUGH.
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BOOK VIII. SONNETS OF THE LINCOLNSHIRE COAST.

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165

III. SAINT HILDA.

Saint Hilda! Abbess she of Streonshald,
Prayed, and was pure of heart and pure of hand,
And when she walked along the thundering strand
The shy cliff doves, wind-beaten, storm-appalled,
Dropped to her bosom fearless as she called.
Touched by her feet, as by enchanter's wand,
The serpents left their heads upon the sand,
Coiled into stone, or stiffened as they crawled.
Still is the power of pure-souled maids who pray
Strong to destroy all venomous things that crawl;
Only a look, the serpent shrinks and dies;
About their paths, from out of Heaven, will fall
Mute things that need love's tend'rest ministries,
And in their bosoms frightened doves shall stay.
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