FAR, far away across the sea, In the still hours when I sit dreaming Often and often I voyage in seeming; And sad is the heart I bear with me, Far, far away across the sea. Yonder, toward the Dardanelles I follow the vessels disappearing, Slender masts to the sky uprearing; Follow her whom I love so well, Yonder toward the Dardanelles. With the great clouds I go astray; These by the shepherd wind are driven Across the shining stars of heaven In snowy flocks, and go their way, And with the clouds I go astray. I take the pinions of the swallow, For the fair weather ever yearning, And swiftly to the sun returning; So swiftly I my darling follow Upon the pinions of the swallow. Homesickness hath my heart possessed, For now she treads an alien strand; And for that unknown fatherland I long, as a bird for her nest. Homesickness hath my heart possessed. From wave to wave the salt sea over, Like a pale corpse I always seem On floating, in a deathlike dream, Even to the feet of my sweet lover, From wave to wave the salt sea over. Now am I lying on the shore Till my love lifts me mutely weeping, And takes me in her tender keeping, And lays her hand my still heart o'er, And calls me from the dead once more. I clasp her close and hold her long. "O, I have suffered sore," I cry, "But now we will no longer die!" Like drowning men's my grasp is strong; I clasp her close and hold her long. Far, far away across the sea, In the still hours when I sit dreaming, Often and often I voyage in seeming; And sad is the heart I bear with me, Far, far away across the sea. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE STORY OF SEVENTY-SIX by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT NINETY-NINE IN THE SHADE by ROSSITER JOHNSON ASTROPHEL AND STELLA: 47 by PHILIP SIDNEY THE HIRED MAN by EVA K. ANGLESBURG OENONE by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN EVENING by SYLVIA HORTENSE BLISS HOLLYWOOD NOCTURNE by JANE BOWER ON MR. CRUIKSHANK OF THE HIGH SCHOOL, EDINBURGH by ROBERT BURNS |