Beyond the reach of the hungry tides, a storm-wind swept you high; Left you here in the blazing sun, broken and bleached and dry; Only a bit of drift-wood; whence came you—how and why? Did angry wave and tempest wild, on yonder rock-bound reef Drive to her death, some vessel weak, where nought could give relief? Left but this bit of drift-wood; yea, this, and searing grief? Like this frail ship, a soul goes down; the toll to sin is paid; The coast of folly strewn with wrecks, its siren call has made; Merely stray bits of drift-wood by life's grim fate betrayed. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SHADOWY WATERS: A DRAMATIC POEM by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS SONNET: AT STRATFORD-UPON-AVON by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE WORD OF SUMMER by ELSA BARKER THE AULD FARMER'S NEW YEAR MORNING SALUTATION ... AULD MARE by ROBERT BURNS A BOOK OF AIRS: SONG 19 by THOMAS CAMPION OBSERVATIONS IN THE ART OF ENGLISH POESY: 7. TROCHAIC VERSE: THE THIRD EPIGRAM by THOMAS CAMPION |