AT the North, far away, Rolls a great sea for aye, Silently, awfully. Round it on every hand Ice-towers majestic stand, Guarding this silent sea Grimly, invincibly. Never there man hath been, Who hath come back again, Telling to ears of men What is this sea within. Under the starlight, Rippling the moonlight, Drinking the sunlight, Desolate, never heard nor seen, Beating forever it hath been. From our life far away Roll the dark waves, for aye, Of an Eternity, Silently, awfully. Round it on every hand Death's icy barriers stand, Guarding this silent sea Grimly, invincibly. Never there man hath been Who could return again, Telling to mortal ken What is within the sea Of that Eternity. Terrible is our life -- In its whole blood-written history Only a feverish strife; In its beginning, a mystery -- In its wild ending, an agony. Terrible is our death -- Black-hanging cloud over Life's setting sun, Darkness of night when the daylight is done. In the shadow of that cloud, Deep within that darkness' shroud, Rolls the ever-throbbing sea; And we -- all we -- Are drifting rapidly And floating silently Into that unknown sea -- Into Eternity. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SUGAR-PLUM TREE by EUGENE FIELD ROME. AT THE PYRAMID OF CESTIUS NEAR THE GRAVES OF SHELLEY by THOMAS HARDY MORITURI SALUTAMUS [WE WHO ARE TO DIE SALUTE YOU] by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW COMOS by ADRA CAROLINE BATCHELDER TO MOLIERE by NICOLAS BOILEAU-DESPREAUX VISIONS: 3 by WILLIAM BROWNE (1591-1643) LINES INSCRIBED ON A PLATTER by ROBERT BURNS |