UPON a mountain height, far from the sea, I found a shell; And to my listening ear this lonely thing Ever a song of ocean seemed to sing, -- Ever a tale of ocean seemed to tell. How came this shell upon the mountain height? Ah, who can say Whether there dropped by some too careless hand, Whether there cast when oceans swept the land, Ere the Eternal had ordained the day? Strange, was it not? Far from its native deep, One song it sang: Sang of the awful mysteries of the tide, Sang of the storied sea, profound and wide, -- Ever with echoes of old ocean rang. And as the shell upon the mountain height Sang of the sea, So do I ever, leagues and leagues away, So do I ever, wandering where I may, Sing, O my home! sing, O my home, of thee! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...INSCRIPTIONS: 1. FOR A GROTTO by MARK AKENSIDE MEMORY by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH THE LAWYER'S INVOCATION TO SPRING by HENRY HOWARD BROWNELL JEPHTHA'S DAUGHTER by GEORGE GORDON BYRON THE LADY AND THE SWINE by MOTHER GOOSE TWO POEMS TO HANS THOMA ON HIS SIXIETH BIRTHDAY: 1. MOONLIGHT NIGHT by RAINER MARIA RILKE DRESSING THE BRIDE (A FRAGMENT) by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH |