Laughter of comrades, laughter . . . Faint, gay laughter of lovers, tinkle of glass and lass; Song from the shadowy dunes, the lighted, tremulous pier Lighted . . shadowy songs . . . Loud cold laughter of throngs By the Merry-go-round -- By the sea . . . Sound from the sea, and a sound That is like the sea -- Feet of men shuffling and passing, shuffling, shuffling and passing . . . O God, if Thou art, In my brain, in my breaking heart, Be known unto me! For I dread the sea, and a sound that echoes the sea -- Feet of men passing, passing, passing, passing away Day after day, day after lonely day . . . Whisper of lovers . . friendly hail to a friend . . . Yes, and the end -- ? Tender, difficult words . . or resonant, brave As the surge of a wave! -- now impotent, hushed, withdrawing . . . Raucous rowdies are cawing, Crows of the night . . . While the wail of a dwindling train Emerges, is lost again . . . O God, I am sick with fright! O God, God, if Thou art, Be known unto me! I am mad from this sea of sound that mimics the sea -- Feet of men shuffling and passing, passing away . . . Day after day . . . after day . . . . . | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DON JUAN: DEDICATION [OR, INVOCATION] by GEORGE GORDON BYRON MAHMOUD by JAMES HENRY LEIGH HUNT TO MR. THOMAS SOUTHERNE, ON HIS BIRTHDAY, 1742 by ALEXANDER POPE THE MULBERRY GARDEN: CHILD AND MAIDEN by CHARLES SEDLEY NORTHERN FARMER, OLD STYLE by ALFRED TENNYSON SEVEN SAD SONNETS: 2. THE OTHER ONE COMES TO HER by MARY REYNOLDS ALDIS |