Imperially free, The bay slow-widens out into the sea, Subdues its lordly headlands, cramps its shore, Hushes its breakers to a silent gleam, And yields itself entire for evermore To ocean's incommunicable dream. Who follows? What far-winged flight of soul Spurns the near dancing wave, And set and brave Beats out and out beyond all tame control Into the age-long sweep, The dim and dread horizons of the deep? Look not behind At waning cottage and the friendly wood, Things warm and bright and fondly understood, Hearts dearly good. Be desperately deaf, be sternly blind, Fling yourself out into forgetfulness, And press, press, press Through the austere, untrodden wastes of air, Seeking what thing is there. Yours not to say What you shall meet on this mysterious way, Red lightnings crashing through demonic night, Delicate seas that laugh into the light, The gaping mouths of monsters waiting grim, Sweet islands wreathed and dim, Or only barren wastes of mocking spray Ever rebuffing whom they still invite. Nor dare you feel Here in this welter of the infinite That you are less than it. Though purpose falter and though spirit reel With vastness of the waters and the dread Of nothingness, and though your soul is dead, And all is dead above you and below And in the fog-filled void to which you go, Still must you go invincible, serene, Still must you proudly know You are but traversing your own demesne. And must we seek forever through the air? Must we forever bear This awful weight of loneliness, nor turn Back to the homely bay for which we yearn, Back to the cottage comforts fondly fair? Yes, comrade, yes! Whoever takes this path, At peril of hot shame and branding wrath Must not turn back, But press, press, press Upon the vague, unending, glorious track, Whate'er the ocean hath. Who once has felt the sea-sweep, nevermore May dare to know the confines of the shore. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE ROSE-BUD; TO A YOUNG LADY by WILLIAM BROOME SECRECY PROTESTED by THOMAS CAREW THE CHURCH WINDOWS by GEORGE HERBERT THE SHEPHEARDES CALENDER: NOVEMBER by EDMUND SPENSER TWO SONGS FROM THE PERSIAN: 1 by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH WHITE HEAD by ELIZABETH AKERS ALLEN |