Sonnets Round the Coast by H. D. Rawnsley |
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SEA COAL. |
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 | Sonnets Round the Coast |  |
210
II. SEA COAL.
The coals were spent, the village fires burnt lowOut flew the banner on the signal mast,
The greybeards questioned far-off sails that past,
Shading their brows and muttering ay or no;
But when the kindly tide began to flow,
A ship stood up, mysterious, from the vast
Bewildering deep, steered straight ashore, and cast
Her anchors from the stern and from the prow.
Down sank the sea, out-shone the coal-black hull,
The jingling carts towards its gangway sped,
With mimic rolls of thunder thro' the day
The weary vessel gave her heart away:
Our children found next morn a hollow full
Of sand-locked water, but their friend was gone.
| Sonnets Round the Coast | |