O SEA, calm, sleeping Sea! awake and tell What o'er thee hath cast this soothing spell? 'Brightly the young moon is beaming From her purple throne, On my waveless breast is gleaming Radiance all her own. I have hushed each booming billow For her peerless royal brow Resteth on my glistening pillow Like a sleeping angel now.' O Sea, glad and playful Sea! what meanest thou? What do thy white-winged wavelets carol now? 'Merrily they all are singing, For with golden hand, Silver fetters she is flinging O'er my fairy band. 'Neath them blithely are they dancing, And her jewels rare and bright In their waving crests are glancing— Liquid diamonds of light.' O Sea, wild, raging Sea! what horrors dire Have raised thy maniac wrath, thy frenzied ire? 'Seest thou not the lightning flashing From yon lurid cloud? Fiercely are my billows dashing, Foaming, roaring loud, For the frowning sky is veiling Darkly o'er their beauteous Queen: Fury mingleth with their wailing Till her face again be seen.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE DAYS GONE BY by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY FANCIES AT NAVESINK: 7 by WALT WHITMAN FRIENDS by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS HELIADES: ZEUS, BRAZEN THUNDER-HURLER by AESCHYLUS INVITATION TO A PAINTER: 2 by WILLIAM ALLINGHAM |