THE CHANGELING (1) by WALTER JOHN DE LA MARE

'Ahoy, and ahoy!'
'Twixt mocking and merry --
'Ahoy and ahoy, there,
Young man of the ferry!'

She stood on the steps
In the watery gloom --
That Changeling -- 'Ahoy, there!'
She called him to come.
He came on the green wave,
He came on the grey,
Where stooped that sweet lady
That still summer's day.
He fell in a dream
Of her beautiful face,
As she sat on the thwart
And smiled in her place.
No echo his oar woke,
Float silent did they,
Past low-grazing cattle
In the sweet of the hay.
And still in a dream
At her beauty sat he,
Drifting stern foremost
Down -- down to the sea.
Come you, then: call,
When the twilight apace
Brings shadow to brood
On the loveliest face;
You shall hear o'er the water
Ring faint in the grey --
'Ahoy, and ahoy, there!'
And tremble away;
'Ahoy, and ahoy!. . .'
And tremble away.

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