The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar/On The Sea Wall

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

ON THE SEA WALL

I sit upon the old sea wall,
  And watch the shimmering sea,
Where soft and white the moonbeams fall,
  Till, in a fantasy,
Some pure white maiden's funeral pall
  The strange light seems to me.

The waters break upon the shore
  And shiver at my feet,
While I dream old dreams o'er and o'er,
  And dim old scenes repeat;
Tho' all have dreamed the same before,
  They still seem new and sweet.

The waves still sing the same old song
  That knew an elder time;
The breakers' beat is not more strong,
  Their music more sublime;
And poets thro' the ages long
  Have set these notes to rhyme.

But this shall not deter my lyre,
  Nor check my simple strain;
If I have not the old-time fire,
  I know the ancient pain:
The hurt of unfulfilled desire,—
  The ember quenched by rain.

I know the softly shining sea
  That rolls this gentle swell
Has snarled and licked its tongues at me
  And bared its fangs as well;
That 'neath its smile so heavenly,
  There lurks the scowl of hell!

But what of that? I strike my string
  (For songs in youth are sweet);
I 'll wait and hear the waters bring
  Their loud resounding beat;
Then, in her own bold numbers sing
  The Ocean's dear deceit!