Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PORTUGUESE HYMN TO THE VIRGIN, WRITTEN AT SEA, by JOHN LEYDEN


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PORTUGUESE HYMN TO THE VIRGIN, WRITTEN AT SEA, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Star of the wide and pathless sea
Last Line: Ave maris stella!
Subject(s): Mary. Mother Of Jesus; Women In The Bible; Virgin Mary


STAR of the wide and pathless sea,
Who lovest on mariners to shine,
These votive garments wet, to thee,
We hang within thy holy shrine.
When o'er us flash'd the surging brine,
Amid the waving waters toss'd,
We call'd no other name but thine,
And hoped when other hope was lost.
Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the vast and howling main!
When dark and lone is all the sky,
And mountain waves o'er ocean's plain
Erect their stormy heads on high,
When virgins for their true loves sigh
They raise their weeping eyes to thee; --
The star of ocean heeds their cry,
And saves the foundering bark at sea.
Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the dark and stormy sea!
When wrecking tempests round us rave,
Thy gentle virgin form we see
Bright rising o'er the hoary wave,
The howling storms that seemed to crave
Their victims, sink in music sweet;
The surging seas recede to pave
The path beneath thy glistening feet.
Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the desert waters wild,
Who pitying hear'st the seaman's cry!
The God of mercy as a child
On that chaste bosom loves to lie;
While soft the chorus of the sky
Their hymns of tender mercy sing,
And angel voices name on high
The mother of the heavenly king.
Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the deep! at that blest name
The waves sleep silent round the keel,
The tempests wild their fury tame,
That made the deep's foundations reel;
The soft celestial accents steal
So soothing through the realms of woe,
The newly damn'd a respite feel
From torture in the depths below.
Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the mild and placid seas!
Whom rainbow rays of mercy crown,
Whose name thy faithful Portuguese,
O'er all that to the depths go down,
With hymns of grateful transport own,
When clouds obscure all other light,
And heaven assumes an awful frown,
The star of ocean glitters bright.
Ave Maris Stella!

Star of the deep! when angel lyres
To hymn thy holy name essay,
In vain a mortal harp aspires
To mingle in the mighty lay;
Mother of God! one living ray
Of hope our grateful bosoms fires --
When storms and tempests pass away,
To join the bright immortal choirs.
Ave Maris Stella!





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