THOU hast been where the rocks of coral grow, Thou hast fought with eddying waves; -- Thy cheek is pale, and thy heart beats low, Thou searcher of ocean's caves! Thou hast looked on the gleaming wealth of old, And wrecks where the brave have striven; The deep is a strong and a fearful hold, But thou its bar hast riven! A wild and weary life is thine; A wasting task and lone, Though treasure-grots for thee may shine, To all besides unknown! A weary life! but a swift decay Soon, soon shall set thee free; Thou'rt passing fast from thy toils away, Thou wrestler with the sea! In thy dim eye, on thy hollow cheek, Well are the death-signs read -- Go! for the pearl in its cavern seek, Ere hope and power be fled! And bright in beauty's coronal That glistening gem shall be; A star to all in the festive hall -- But who will think on @3thee?@1 None! as it gleams from the queen-like head, Not one 'midst throngs will say, "A life hath been like a rain-drop shed, For that pale quivering ray." Woe for the wealth thus dearly bought! -- And are not those like thee Who win for earth the gems of thought? O wrestler with the sea! Down to the gulfs of the soul they go, Where the passion-fountains burn, Gathering the jewels far below From many a buried urn: Wringing from lava-veins the fire, That o'er bright words is poured! Learning deep sounds, to make the lyre A spirit in each chord. But, oh! the price of bitter tears, Paid for the lonely power That throws at last, o'er desert years, A darkly-glorious dower! Like flower-seeds, by the wild wind spread, So radiant thoughts are strewed; -- The soul whence those high gifts are shed, May faint in solitude! And who will think, when the strain is sung, Till a thousand hearts are stirred, What life-drops, from the minstrel wrung, Have gushed with every word? None, none! -- his treasures live like thine, @3He@1 strives and dies like thee; -- Thou, that hast been to the pearl's dark shrine, O wrestler with the sea! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SHE HEARS THE STORM by THOMAS HARDY A LETTER FROM A GIRL TO HER OWN OLD AGE by ALICE MEYNELL A MAN BY THE NAME OF BOLUS by JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY SUMMER NIGHT, RIVERSIDE by SARA TEASDALE THE TWO APRIL MORNINGS by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH IN AN ALBUM by JOHANNA AMBROSIUS |