Poems (Acton)/The Sea King
Appearance
THE SEA KING.
The Sea King am I,
On my shining crystal throne;
From the ocean to the sky,
All that greets me is my own.
On my shining crystal throne;
From the ocean to the sky,
All that greets me is my own.
The ships that o'er me sweep,
In their stateliness rejoice:
But they tremble in the deep,
When they hear my mighty voice.
In their stateliness rejoice:
But they tremble in the deep,
When they hear my mighty voice.
I wave my trident proud,
And the storms their wings unfold;
And the waters make a shroud
For the reckless sailor bold.
And the storms their wings unfold;
And the waters make a shroud
For the reckless sailor bold.
The masts are rent in twain,
Pale death the billow crowns;
And the help of man is vain
When the dreaded Sea King frowns.
Pale death the billow crowns;
And the help of man is vain
When the dreaded Sea King frowns.
Rich pearl and costly gem
At my feet unheeded lie;
And my jewelled diadem
Would a mighty kingdom buy.
At my feet unheeded lie;
And my jewelled diadem
Would a mighty kingdom buy.
And my treasures laugh to scorn
All that's fair the earth can shew;
For a thousand storms have borne
Countless riches down below.
All that's fair the earth can shew;
For a thousand storms have borne
Countless riches down below.
Give place, ye earth-born kings,
To my firm and lasting sway;
For your crowns are fading things,
And your sceptres pass away:
To my firm and lasting sway;
For your crowns are fading things,
And your sceptres pass away:
But the golden sun has shone
Many ages o'er my head;
And still I reign alone,
In my ocean kingdom dread.
Many ages o'er my head;
And still I reign alone,
In my ocean kingdom dread.
Youth and beauty, strength and pride,
Palsied age, and childhood sleep,
Cold and silent, side by side,
In my hidden caverns deep.
Palsied age, and childhood sleep,
Cold and silent, side by side,
In my hidden caverns deep.
The rushing ocean foam
Has sighed their passing knell;
For the secrets of my home
Mortal lips may never tell.
Has sighed their passing knell;
For the secrets of my home
Mortal lips may never tell.
Then quail, ye things of earth,
When I send my tempest forth!
And tremble in your mirth,
When ye hear my stormy wrath!
When I send my tempest forth!
And tremble in your mirth,
When ye hear my stormy wrath!
For the sun's resplendent light
In the heavens shall be o'er,
And the starry orbs of night
From on high shall shine no more;
In the heavens shall be o'er,
And the starry orbs of night
From on high shall shine no more;
And a chaos once again
Must your world of beauty be,
Ere the Sea King cease to reign
In his ocean-kingdom free!
H. A.
Must your world of beauty be,
Ere the Sea King cease to reign
In his ocean-kingdom free!
H. A.