Verses from Maoriland/By the Sea
BY THE SEA
A sullen sky, a dull dark sea, An angry sea-gull screaming,— No gleam of light to left or right, And I alone and dreaming!
A sweep of sand, a ridge of rock, A line of billows breaking Against the shore with muffled roar That sets my poor heart aching.
For so against a vessel’s prow, The self-same sea was beating,— The self-same sea,—but then to me A sweeter song repeating.
For then it sang that Love is long, But now that Life is lonely; There’s little music in the song That falls on my ears only.
Ah me, ah me! that summer sea, Those days of sunny weather, Those moonlit nights upon the deck, And you and I together!
Whilst steaming down the rocky coast We watched the red sun sinking, And like a kindly eye almost One star was twinkling, blinking!
The golden glory faded soon, That night in sweet December, And then there rose the mellow moon, My friend, do you remember?
We talked of books, we talked of men, You with sarcastic jesting; Till, falling into graver strain, Some thought your sneer arresting,
You dropped your cynic’s mask outright, Your words were true and tender; I think I saw your soul that night,— That night of moonlight splendour!
The waters flow, the wild winds blow, Those halcyon days are over; ’Twas long ago,—I do not know If you were friend, or lover.
The waters come, the waters go, Whose constancy derides us; For here am I, and where are you? God knows what sea divides us!
And you who are so far away, Forget that sweet December; For men forget with scant regret,— It’s women who remember!
Well, shipboard is the place we know For holiday flirtation; You only did as others do In such a situation.
But fun to you, was pain to me, Changed is my whole existence; There haunts me yet a wild regret With shadowy persistence.
I linger in the sullen South, This dreary sky above me; Regret, and pain, and dreams are vain, For, friend, you did not love me!
O angry sky! O dull dark sea! O seagull, wailing, screaming!— There is no light to left or right, I am alone, and dreaming!