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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SIRENS, by EDWIN ARNOLD Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Across the quiet bay / at end of day Last Line: Better than that fair land and fatal singing. Subject(s): Sirens (mythology) | |||
ACROSS the quiet bay At end of day With lazy dip of oars a bark is flitting, Upon the yellow sands, Waving their hands, Three women, fairer than of earth, are sitting. And one with painted water-weeds is weaving garlands rare, And one is stringing speckled shells to bind her black silk hair; And one with rosy fingers wakes the life o' the silver strings, And with clear note and throbbing throat enchantingly she sings. Wander no more on the wearying wave, Seek ye no farther a mariner's grave: Leave the dull dash of the laboring oar, Turn from the tempest, and hasten to shore. Come! are the planks of the plashy deck Pillow as soft as a woman's neck? Come! will the roar of the ravenous deep Lull ye like singing to dreamy sleep Come! ye shall lie through the spangled night Circled in arms of the warmest white: Come! ye shall dance through the sunny day Watching the winds and the waters play: Come to us! come! for we know the best Where the bunches of purple are juiciest: Come! ye shall pluck them and press them well Drinking their blood from the white sea-shell. Come! we have kisses and love for each, Turn the brass beak to the shelving beach. Never was here dull Pain or carking Sorrow, But ever bright to-day promises brighter morrow. "No sorrow here!" they sang, and each in turn took up the strain, Harping upon that subtle harp the same sweet song again. And still with dainty wreathed arms, and white, inviting breast, They wooed them to the Golden Isle, the home of happy rest. But there along the deep Lay a ghastly heap Of white bones, bleaching all the summer long; Relics they were Of the marinere. Who heard and passioned at the pleasant song. So the galley bent her sail To the rising gale, And over the silver seas her way went winging, Trusting the noise Of the tempest's voice Better than that fair land and fatal singing. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ULYSSES AND THE SIREN by SAMUEL DANIEL A SEA-SPELL (FOR A PICTURE) by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI SONNET: THE LORELEI by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE UNFORGIVEN by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE LORELEI by GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE THE INNER TEMPLE MASQUE by WILLIAM BROWNE (1591-1643) PENELOPE'S LOVER by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON |
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