Beyond the walls of gray Monroe, Beyond the battered dark sea wall, How many dream ships pass and go To what unnoted ports of call! Fine craft are they That all the day Go down the still slow-swinging bay. Low-lying freighters, deep and dark, Go plodding up the soundless tide, And here and there a graceful bark, Her wan sails spreading high and wide, Skims gallantly Against the sea -- A ship of splendid dreams to me. And toiling coasters ply and pass -- The heaving hodden bulks of trade; A schooner; some huge galleas That leaves behind no darkening shade Or smoky train -- Sweeps to the main, Laden -- who knows -- with gold of Spain. @3The tart salt sea winds call, and oh, The channel swells are white with foam! . . . Down Hampton Roads the still ships go, But I must stay and dream at home.@1 | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WINE OF NIGHT by LOUIS UNTERMEYER ON AN INFANT WHICH DIED BEFORE BAPTISM by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE THE BRIDGE BUILDER by WILL ALLEN DROMGOOLE THE MAN-OF-WAR HAWK by HERMAN MELVILLE OUR LADY'S LULLABY by RICHARD ROWLANDS OF THE REED THAT THE JEWS SET IN OUR SAVIOUR'S HAND by WILLIAM ALABASTER |