Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ROMANCERO: BOOK 1. HISTORIES: VOYAGE BY NIGHT, by HEINRICH HEINE Poet's Biography First Line: The half-moon peer'd from the darksome clouds Last Line: Our number then was two. Subject(s): Beauty; Dreams; Moon; Night; Nightmares; Bedtime | ||||||||
THE half-moon peer'd from the darksome clouds With coyness, while rock'd the sea; And when in the bark our places we took, Our number then was three. There plash'd in the water the strokes of the oar With sad monotony; White foaming billows came with a roar, And sprinkled all of us three. She stood in the bark, as pale, as slim, As void of motion too, As though she a marble statue were, Diana's image true. The moon disappear'd. The nightwind piped With chilly blast on high; When over our heads there suddenly rose A wild and piercing cry. 'Twas the white and ghostlike seamew's voice, And at that terrible cry, Which fearfully rang like a warning call, All three felt like to die. Am I in a fever? A vision is this Of nightly phantasy? Am I aped by a dream? I'm dreaming a dream Of wild buffoonery. Buffoonery wild! Methinks in my dream That I a Saviour am; And faithfully bear the weight of the Cross, As gentle as a lamb. Poor beauty beside me is sore distress'd. But soon I'll set her free From sin and shame and sorrow and pain, And earthly misery. Poor beauty, O be not thou terrified, Though bitter the medicine be; Although my heart may break, I myself Will mete out death to thee. O folly wild-and terrible dream! O madness fearful to see! The night is yawning, the ocean yells -- O God, have mercy on me! Have mercy on me, O merciful God! O merciful God! Schaddey! A Something falls in the sea -- Alas! Schaddey! Schaddey! Adonay! The sun arose, we came to the land, Sweet smiled the spring to the view; And when at length we left the bark, Our number then was two. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE BREATH OF NIGHT by RANDALL JARRELL HOODED NIGHT by ROBINSON JEFFERS NIGHT WITHOUT SLEEP by ROBINSON JEFFERS WORKING OUTSIDE AT NIGHT by DENIS JOHNSON POEM TO TAKE BACK THE NIGHT by JUNE JORDAN COOL DARK ODE by DONALD JUSTICE POEM TO BE READ AT 3 A.M by DONALD JUSTICE ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT by BOB KAUFMAN |
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