Maryland, my Maryland, and other poems/Far Out At Sea
COLONEL JAMES RYDER RANDALL
(In 1882)
FAR OUT AT SEA
Far out at sea! far out at sea!
The winged wind warbles melody;
The billows fringe their curls of foam,
And tremble back with thoughts of home;
I stream my soul on every crest
That gambles onward to the west—
’Tis freighted, love, with hope and thee.
Far out at sea! far out at sea!
The petrels soar the surge with glee;
The livelong day they skim the air,
The livelong night they slumber there—
Wild, wand’ring souls of those who sleep
Beneath the coral-citied deep,
And from the shades heart-break to be
Far out at sea! far out at sea!
Far out at sea! far out at sea!
The bird-like bark flew merrily!
The day-god slept—his bride on high
Wove isles of light o’er wave and sky;
On, on we flew, and from the wake
What moon-enameled beauties break!
A vapory veil of silver bars
Entangled in a sky of stars—
Supernal visions came to me
Far out at sea! far out at sea!
Far out at sea! far out at sea!
The raven screams upon the lee;
The storm-king rides the lightning now,
And wreck and ruin bare his brow—
A gallant ship, descending fast,
Is whirled beneath the waters vast,
And with her in the whelming tide,
The loveliest child that ever died
In faith, in purity and pride!
One fair white arm upon her breast,
One sunny curl lost [rom the rest,
And there she lies—sweet Melanie!
Far out at sea! far out at sea!
Far out at sea! far out at sea!
And art thou happy, Melanie?
Oh! in thy grand and mystic grave
Beneath the blue, blue tropic wave,
Dost see, sweet child, the diamond blaze
Upon the Nereid of old days—
Dost hear the choral song of shells,
More musical than golden bells—
And in thy ocean jubilee
Dost think of him who loveth thee?
Far out at sea! far out at sea!