Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SONG OF THE WILD STORM-WAVES (AFTER THE LOSS OF THE 'TARARUA'), by PERCY F. SINNETT First Line: Oh, ye wild waves, shoreward dashing Last Line: Any more? Subject(s): Disasters; Shipwrecks | ||||||||
OH, ye wild waves, shoreward dashing, What is your tale to-day? O'er the rocks your white foam splashing, While the moaning wind your spray Whirls heavenwards away In the mist? Have ye heard the timbers crashing Of the good ship out at sea? Seen the masts the dank ropes lashing, While the sailors bend the knee, And vainly call on Heaven To assist? Oh, ay! we've seen and heard -- Oh, ay! we've heard and seen More than ever you could gather -- More than ever you could glean From our tale. We have seen, and heard, and laughed, As we tossed the shattered craft, While those on board, aghast, Every moment thought their last, In the gale. We tossed them like a plaything, And rent their riven sail; And we laughed our loud Ha! ha! With the demons of the gale In their ears. We have laughed, and heard, and seen, In the lightning's lurid sheen, And the growling thunder's blast; And we drowned them all at last For their fears. There were mothers there on board With their little ones in arms; There were maidens there on board More lovely in their charms Than the day; And again we heard, and laughed As we dashed across the craft; While our master shrieked and roared, As we swept them overboard, And away. And they battled all in vain, With their puny human strength. In our grasp they were as nothing; Down, down, they sank at length In the sea; And still again we screamed, As the lurid flashes gleamed, And o'er their heads we swept, And for joy we danced and leapt In our glee. This, this, now is the tale We have to tell to-day, And now to you we've sung it In our merry, mocking way. Do you hear? How our havoc we have wrought, And to destruction brought The treasures of the Earth, Held by man in price, and worth, Very dear? Oh! ye cruel waves up-dashing, Why rejoice you so to-day? As shoreward ye come crashing From your cruel, cruel play; Why fling ye up your spray On the shore? The sand your salt spume splashing, As ye frolic in your glee; As the iron rocks ye're lashing, Ye scourges of the sea, -- Will ye never then be glutted Any more? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WRECK OF THE THRESHER by WILLIAM MEREDITH EX-VOTO FOR A SHIPWRECK by AIME CESAIRE CAESAR'S LOST TRANSPORT SHIPS by ROBERT FROST AFTER THE SHIPWRECK by ALICIA SUSKIN OSTRIKER DEATH'S JEST-BOOK: SIBYLLA'S DIRGE by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES ON THE LOSS OF THE ROYAL GEORGE by WILLIAM COWPER |
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