Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PICTURES OF TRAVEL: THE BALTIC, PART 1: 4. POSEIDON, by HEINRICH HEINE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PICTURES OF TRAVEL: THE BALTIC, PART 1: 4. POSEIDON, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The sun's bright rays were playing
Last Line: And the silly daughters of nereus.
Subject(s): Goddesses & Gods; Mythology; Poseidon (mythology); Sea; Ocean


THE sun's bright rays were playing
Over the wide-rolling breadth of the sea;
Far in the roadstead glitter'd the ship
Destined to home to convey me
But a propitious wind was yet wanting,
And I sat on the white downs all calmly
Hard by the lonely strand,
And I read the song of Odysseus,
The olden, ever-youthful song,
From out whose sea-beflutter'd leaves
Joyfully rose to meet me
The breath of the deities,
And the shining spring-time of mortals,
And the blooming heaven of Hellas.

My generous heart accompanied truly
The son of Laertes in wanderings and troubles,
Placed itself with him, spirit-tormented,
At guestly hearths,
Where beauteous queens were spinning their purple,
And help'd him to lie, and succeed in escaping
From giants' caverns and nymphs' embraces,
Follow'd him down to Cimmerian night,
And in tempest and shipwreck,
And with him endured unspeakable torments.

Sighing spake I: "Thou wicked Poseidon,
"Thine anger is fearful;
"I myself am anxious
"As to my own return."

Scarce breath'd I these words,
When the sea foam'd on high,
And out of the snowy billows arose
The sedge-becrowned head of the seagod,
And scornfully cried he:

"Fear not, little poet!
"I'll not for one moment endanger
"Thy poor little vessel,
"And thy dear life shall not be tormented
"By any critical tossing.
"For thou, little poet, hast never annoy'd me,
"No single turret was injured by thee
"In Priam's sacred fortress,
"No single hair didst thou e'er singe
"In the eye of my son Polyphemus,
"And thou hast ne'er been advised or protected
"By the goddess of wisdom, Pallas Athene!"

Thus cried Poseidon,
And sank 'neath the ocean again;
And at the vulgar seaman's wit
Laugh'd under the water
Amphitrite, the clumsy fishwoman,
And the silly daughters of Nereus.





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