Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SONG OF THE ICELANDIC FISHERMAN, by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Yield the bark to the breezes free Last Line: The deep is thy path, and the soul thy care. Subject(s): Fish & Fishing; Iceland | ||||||||
YIELD the bark to the breezes free, Point her helm to the far deep sea, Where Heckla's watch-fire, streaming wild, Hath never the mariner's eye beguiled, Where, in boiling baths, strange monsters play Down to the deep sea -- launch away! Gay over coral reefs we steer Where moulder the bones of the brave, Where the beautiful sleep on their humid bier, And the pale pearl gleams in its quenchless sphere, The lamp of their Ocean grave; Swift o'er the crested surge we row; Down to the fathomless sea we go. King of Day! to thee we turn, May our course be blest by thee, Eyes bright as thine in our homes shall burn, When again our hearths we see; When the scaly throng, to our skill a prev At the feet of our fur clad maids we ray. Thou art mighty in wrath, devouring tide! The strong ship loves o'er thy foam to ride, Her banner by bending clouds carest, The waves at her keel, and a world in her breast Thou biddest the blast of thy billows sweep, Her tall masts bow to the cleaving deep, And seal'd in thy cells her proud ones sleep. Our sails are as chaff, when the tempest raves, And our boat a speck on the mountain waves: Yet we pour not to thee, the imploring strain, We soothe not thine anger, relentless Main! Libation we pour not, nor vow, nor prayer, Our hope is in thee, God of the sea! The deep is thy path, and the soul thy care. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ICELAND REVISITED by WYSTAN HUGH AUDEN GOVERNOR LENHARD, SELS. by EINAR HJORLEIFSSON KVARAN MAIRI'S DRAFTS: ICELAND, 1410 by DEENA LINETT GUNNAR'S HOWE ABOVE THE HOUSE AND LITHEND by WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896) ICELAND FIRST SEEN by WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896) COLUMBUS [JANUARY, 1487] by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY INDIAN NAMES by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY THE CORAL INSECT by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY THE INDIAN'S WELCOME TO THE PILGRIM FATHERS by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY A COTTAGE SCENE by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY A DOOR OPENED IN HEAVEN by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY A FATHER TO HIS MOTHERLESS CHILDREN by LYDIA HUNTLEY SIGOURNEY |
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