Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems By the Lady E. Stuart Wortley. In Three Vols |
 | I, II, III. |
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THE VOICE OF WAVES. |
 | Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems |  |
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THE VOICE OF WAVES.
The dreamy warble of the blue bright wave,That slowly-gathered—gently comes to lave
The yellow beach—Oh! how its music seems
To girdle me around with Slumber's dreams,
Though not with Slumber's self—how soft—how dear
Those low delicious murmurs to the ear!
Still rolling shorewards with melodious sigh,
Wave after wave comes slowly on—to die!
It is a swan-like music—for they break
On the smooth beach, and sleep no more to wake!
That dying sound just swells upon the air,
And then gives place to a fresh murmur there;
Those shell-like sounds—that swan-like music now
Stamps the pale seal of thought on this chill brow!
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No passion-gust doth o'er its surface rave,
But Peace—a thoughtful Peace—yet a serene,
Now makes it tranquil as this watery scene!
The rise and fall of Feeling's music deep,
Within its depth seems perfect time to keep,
E'en with the rise and fall of these sweet waves,
Whose shivered chrystal their broad margin paves!
How moisten they the sea-weed wreaths that lie
Upon the beach—before all black and dry—
And turn—and turn them ever in their flow,
And curl and fret them as they onwards go.
Ocean! thou seem'st upon thyself to brood,
In placid calm, and yet in playful mood!
Who could now recognize in thee the Power
That spreads destruction in his wrath's wild hour?
That scattereth navies like these scattered weeds,
While rise the shrieks of death he never heeds—
But overpowers with his own thunder-cries,
Shouting defiance to the shaken skies!
| Queen Berengaria's Courtesy, and Other Poems | |