'TIS A WILD NIGHT AT SEA.
The maiden heard, yet never stirr'd
Her eyes from the distant part;
But shadow was thrown upon the stone,
And the stone was over her heart.
Her eyes from the distant part;
But shadow was thrown upon the stone,
And the stone was over her heart.
The Lightning blades fenced fierce and long;
The Blast wings madly flew;
But Morning came, with the skylark's song,
And an arch of spotless blue.
The Blast wings madly flew;
But Morning came, with the skylark's song,
And an arch of spotless blue.
Morning came with a tale too true,
As sad as tale could be:
"A homeward bound" went down with her crew,—
"'Twas a wild night at sea!"
As sad as tale could be:
"A homeward bound" went down with her crew,—
"'Twas a wild night at sea!"
The maiden heard, yet never stirr'd,
Nor eye, nor lip, nor brow;
But moss had grown on the sepulchre-stone,
And it cover'd a skeleton now.
Nor eye, nor lip, nor brow;
But moss had grown on the sepulchre-stone,
And it cover'd a skeleton now.
******
Summer and Winter came and went,
With their frosty and flowery time;
Autumn branches lusciously bent,
And Spring buds had their prime.
With their frosty and flowery time;
Autumn branches lusciously bent,
And Spring buds had their prime.
The maiden still is in her home;
But not a word breathes she;
Save those that seal'd her spirit doom,
"'Tis a wild night at sea!"
But not a word breathes she;
Save those that seal'd her spirit doom,
"'Tis a wild night at sea!"
The hedgerow thorn is out again,
And her cheek is as pale as the bloom;
She bears a wound whose bleeding pain
Can only be stanched by the tomb.
And her cheek is as pale as the bloom;
She bears a wound whose bleeding pain
Can only be stanched by the tomb.
Children show her the violet bed,
And where young doves will be;
But they hear her say, as she boweth her head,
—"'Tis a wild night at sea!"
And where young doves will be;
But they hear her say, as she boweth her head,
—"'Tis a wild night at sea!"
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