Poems (Scudder)/The Nereid
THE NEREID
Topaz, ivory the sands,
Sapphire, chrysoprase the sea,
Turquoise all unflawed the sky,
Witchery, aye, witchery.
Sapphire, chrysoprase the sea,
Turquoise all unflawed the sky,
Witchery, aye, witchery.
As I walked the beach alone,
Can it be I really spied
Lying there a Nereid
Whom the slow retreating tide
Can it be I really spied
Lying there a Nereid
Whom the slow retreating tide
Left beyond the farthest verge
Of the grey cliff-shadow cool,
With her tresses loosely spread
Shining like an amber pool,
Of the grey cliff-shadow cool,
With her tresses loosely spread
Shining like an amber pool,
With her pale face strangely fair
Where the faint blood rarely came
As within the opal's heart
Flickers the inconstant flame?
Where the faint blood rarely came
As within the opal's heart
Flickers the inconstant flame?
When I looked again I saw
Naught but in a narrow ring
Glinting bubbles of the foam—
Was the weird and lovely thing
Naught but in a narrow ring
Glinting bubbles of the foam—
Was the weird and lovely thing
Throbbing with a life unknown,
Soulless offspring of the sea,
Sucked up by the hot sun's rays?
Glamourie, aye, glamourie.
Soulless offspring of the sea,
Sucked up by the hot sun's rays?
Glamourie, aye, glamourie.