 | Miscellaneous Poems |  |
173
Sea Changes
From shore to shore the waters sleep,
Without a breath to move them;
And mirror many a fathom deep
Rocks round, and skies above them.
I catch the sea-bird's lightest wail
That dots the distant billow,
And hear the flappings of the sail
That lull the sea-boy's pillow.
Without a breath to move them;
And mirror many a fathom deep
Rocks round, and skies above them.
I catch the sea-bird's lightest wail
That dots the distant billow,
And hear the flappings of the sail
That lull the sea-boy's pillow.
Anon—across the glassy bay
The catspaw gusts come creeping;
A thousand waves are soon at play,
In sunny freshness leaping.
The surge once more talks round the shore,
The good ship walks the ocean;
Seas, skies, and men all wake again
To music, health, and motion.
The catspaw gusts come creeping;
A thousand waves are soon at play,
In sunny freshness leaping.
174
The good ship walks the ocean;
Seas, skies, and men all wake again
To music, health, and motion.
But now the clouds, in angry crowds,
On Heaven's grim forehead muster,
And wild and wide sweeps o'er the tide
The white squall's fitful bluster.
The stout ship heels, the brave heart reels
Before the 'whelming breaker;
And all in nature quakes, and feels
The presence of its Maker.
On Heaven's grim forehead muster,
And wild and wide sweeps o'er the tide
The white squall's fitful bluster.
The stout ship heels, the brave heart reels
Before the 'whelming breaker;
And all in nature quakes, and feels
The presence of its Maker.
Oh, glorious still in every form,
Untamed, untrodden ocean;
Beneath the sunshine, or the storm,
In stillness, or commotion;
Be mine to dwell beside the swell,
A witness of thy wonders;
Feel thy light spray around me play,
And thrill before thy thunders!
Untamed, untrodden ocean;
Beneath the sunshine, or the storm,
In stillness, or commotion;
175
A witness of thy wonders;
Feel thy light spray around me play,
And thrill before thy thunders!
While yet a boy I felt it joy
To gaze upon thy glories;
I loved to ride thy stormy tide,
And shout in joyous chorus.
With calmer brow I haunt thee now,
To nurse sublime emotion;
My soul is awed and filled with God,
By thee, majestic ocean!
To gaze upon thy glories;
I loved to ride thy stormy tide,
And shout in joyous chorus.
With calmer brow I haunt thee now,
To nurse sublime emotion;
My soul is awed and filled with God,
By thee, majestic ocean!
1840.
| Miscellaneous Poems | |