AT sea when threatening tempests rise, When angry winds the waves deform, The seaman lifts to Heaven his eyes, And deprecates the dreaded storm. 'Ye furious powers, no more contend; Ye winds and seas, your conflict end; And on the mild subsiding deep, Let Fear repose and Terror sleep!' At length the waves are hush'd in peace, O'er flying clouds the sun prevails; The weary winds their efforts cease, And fill no more the flagging sails; Fix'd to the deep the vessel rides Obedient to the changing tides; No helm she feels, no course she keeps, But on the liquid marble sleeps. Sick of a Calm the sailor lies, And views the still, reflecting seas; Or, whistling to the burning skies, He hopes to wake the slumbering breeze: The silent noon, the solemn night, The same dull round of thoughts excite, Till, tired of the revolving train, He wishes for the Storm again. Thus, when I felt the force of Love, When all the passion fill'd my breast, -- When, trembling, with the storm I strove, And pray'd, but vainly pray'd, for rest; 'Twas tempest all, a dreadful strife For ease, for joy, for more than life: 'Twas every hour to groan and sigh In grief, in fear, in jealousy. I suffer'd much, but found at length Composure in my wounded heart; The mind attain'd its former strength, And bade the lingering hopes depart; Then Beauty smiled, and I was gay, I view'd her as the cheerful day; And if she frown'd, the clouded sky Had greater terrors for mine eye. I slept, I waked, and, morn and eve, The noon, the night appear'd the same; No thought arose the soul to grieve, To me no thought of pleasure came; Doom'd the dull comforts to receive Of wearied passions still and tame. -- 'Alas!' I cried, when years had flown -- 'Must no awakening joy be known? Must never Hope's inspiring breeze Sweep off this dull and torpid ease -- Must never Love's all-cheering ray Upon the frozen fancy play -- Unless they seize the passive soul, And with resistless power control? Then let me all their force sustain, And bring me back the Storm again. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LEONARDO'S 'MONNA LISA' by EDWARD DOWDEN LESSER EPISTLES: TO A YOUNG LADY WITH SOME LAMPREYS by JOHN GAY MONNA INNOMINATA, A SONNET OF SONNETS: 4 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI TO THE REV. F.D. MAURICE by ALFRED TENNYSON SHADOWS by WILLIAM HERVEY ALLEN JR. A DEFIANCE, RETURNING TO THE PLACE OF HIS PAST AMOURS by PHILIP AYRES |