poems.
25
Beneath—the wild, dark, dashing waves,
Above—the clear, blue sky.
Above—the clear, blue sky.
We robed him in his garments white,
And wrapped him in the sheet,
And weeping mourners gathered round,
Our darling's face to greet.
And wrapped him in the sheet,
And weeping mourners gathered round,
Our darling's face to greet.
The voice of prayer then rose aloft
To Him who never sleeps;
One hurried kiss—then all was o'er:
We laid him in the deep.
To Him who never sleeps;
One hurried kiss—then all was o'er:
We laid him in the deep.
The green, damp rocks his pillows are,
The coral reefs his bed,
And seaweed gathers o'er his form,
And twines around his head.
The coral reefs his bed,
And seaweed gathers o'er his form,
And twines around his head.
Our noble ship sped swiftly on,
And days and nights did pass,
And, gathered in one stricken band,
We reached the land at last.
And days and nights did pass,
And, gathered in one stricken band,
We reached the land at last.
Dark rose the cliffs on Afric's sands,
But brought no balm to me;
My thoughts still lingered round the spot
Of the buried one at sea.
But brought no balm to me;
My thoughts still lingered round the spot
Of the buried one at sea.