Down by the waters of the sea Reigns the King of Never-to-be. His palace walls are black with night; His torches star and moon's light, And for his timepiece deep and grave Beats on the green unhastening wave. Windswept are his high corridors; His pleasance the sea-mantled shores; For sentinel a shadow stands With hair in heaven, and cloudy hands; And round his bed, king's guards to be, Watch pines in iron solemnity. His hound is mute; his steed at will Roams pastures deep with asphodel; His queen is to her slumber gone; His courtiers mute lie, hewn in stone; He hath forgot where he did hide His sceptre in the mountain-side. Grey-capped and muttering, mad is he -- The childless King of Never-to-be; For all his people in the deep Keep, everlasting, fast asleep; And all his realm is foam and rain, Whispering of what comes not again. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CENTRAL PARK AT DUSK by SARA TEASDALE BY THE POTOMAC by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH TEARS by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING ODE TO MASTER ANTHONY STAFFORD [TO HASTEN HIM INTO COUNTRY] by THOMAS RANDOLPH ENGLAND AND HER COLONIES [OR, DOMINIONS] by WILLIAM WATSON SABBATH MORNING by L. DALE AHERN |