A Lyme Garland Being verses, mainly written at Lyme Regis, or upon the scenery of the neighbourhood; By Francis Turner Palgrave |
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THE SEA GODS:
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 | A Lyme Garland |  |
9
THE SEA GODS:
A scene from Lyme in the last century.
A red fog hangs on the horns of the moon
In a heaven of breeze and rain;
And voices come from the silvery sea,
And they run the boat with a low hoarse glee
Through the foam-fringed skirt of the main.
In a heaven of breeze and rain;
And voices come from the silvery sea,
And they run the boat with a low hoarse glee
Through the foam-fringed skirt of the main.
Like drift she dances upon the wave
As aloft the brown sails glide;
And she knows her way o'er the silvery sea,
And knocks the foam from her bows with glee
And the wake spreads steady and wide.
As aloft the brown sails glide;
And she knows her way o'er the silvery sea,
And knocks the foam from her bows with glee
And the wake spreads steady and wide.
They are but two against King and Laws;
But two that each other know:
They are but two on the silvery sea,
But they face their chance with a sinewy glee
As into the night they go.
But two that each other know:
They are but two on the silvery sea,
But they face their chance with a sinewy glee
As into the night they go.
On the cliff the station is white and high,
But sees not, snug and low
Where their mate lies dim on the silvery sea,
With a light just shown in a flash of glee
As they near the weather-bow.
But sees not, snug and low
Where their mate lies dim on the silvery sea,
With a light just shown in a flash of glee
As they near the weather-bow.
With a hail and a laugh and a heave-yo-ho
They lower the kegs afloat:—
But they curse the moon on the silvery sea,
And his white crests hiss with an angry glee
Round the gunwale-laden boat.
They lower the kegs afloat:—
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And his white crests hiss with an angry glee
Round the gunwale-laden boat.
Nereus and Triton are faded and gone,
Puff'd cheek, and gleaming limb:
But these are the sons of the silvery sea,
As salt and stalwart in lawless glee;
As bronzed, and matted, and grim.
Puff'd cheek, and gleaming limb:
But these are the sons of the silvery sea,
As salt and stalwart in lawless glee;
As bronzed, and matted, and grim.
They are but two against King and laws:
Hold on, my Tritons, awhile!
Two smugglers stout on a silvery sea;—
But they run her ashore with a swirl of glee,
And off to the cliffs they file.
Hold on, my Tritons, awhile!
Two smugglers stout on a silvery sea;—
But they run her ashore with a swirl of glee,
And off to the cliffs they file.
Lyme: 1871
| A Lyme Garland | |