LONG ago I stood by the sea, And sent my ships away from me: Some with pennons and streamers dight, Gayly fluttering in the light; Some with freight of price untold, Paid for out of my spirit's gold. Over the rounding waves afar, They sailed by sun and sailed by star,— Over the billows, feather-tipped, Till out of my sight the last one dipped. Then I waited and watched and prayed, The while my absent ships delayed. One by one, from ports afar, They sailed by sun and sailed by star; Till over the billows, capped with foam, One by one my ships came home: Some with the brilliant colors lost, Some by adverse currents crossed; Some with freight of wealth untold, Worth its weight, from a mine of gold. But ah! the ship loved best of all Never came home to my heart at all. And often now, as I sit by the sea, Whereon so many bright hopes be, I wonder and wonder what befell The fated ship that I loved so well. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE FLAG GOES BY by HENRY HOLCOMB BENNETT THE SHEPHERD BOY'S SONG, FR. THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS by JOHN BUNYAN W'EN I GITS HOME by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 1. HIS EXCUSE FOR LOVING by BEN JONSON SONNET: ADDRESSED TO HAYDON (2) by JOHN KEATS |