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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


ANTITHESIS by HELEN MARGARET HOWARD

First Line: LOOK! LOOK! THE WAVES!
Last Line: OF THE WIND.

Look! look! the waves!
I cried. Old Father
Sea is angry for
his whiskers are
Entangled with the
ships of men!
Away, you said, the
water's rough and
dirty and you'll
spoil your shoes.
But see! I cried, The
sea has donned its
mourning coat! It's
weeping tears of anguish,
see it grind its teeth in pain!
It's black and ugly,
come away, you said,
It splashes on your
dress and ruins my
trousers, come away.
But wait! He has
his helmet on. The
sun glints on it like
a searing flame!
I'll go alone! you
shrieked. It's
sweeping all before!
I saw you fleeing
from the sea and
suddenly the sun
was gone ... I felt
the piercing hunger
of the wind.



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