The hail like cannon-shot struck the sea And churn'd it white as a creamy foam; Then hail like battle-shot struck where we Stood looking a-sea from a sea-girt home -- Came shooting askance as if shot at the head; Then glass flew shiver'd and men fell down And pray'd where they fell, and the gray old town Lay riddled and helpless as if shot dead. Then lightning right full in the eyes! and then Fair women fell down flat on the face, And pray'd their pitiful Mother with tears, And pray'd black death as a hiding-place; And good priests pray'd for the sea-bound men As never good priests had pray'd for years. . . . Then God spake thunder! And then the rain! The great, white, beautiful, highborn rain! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...UPON HIS SPANIEL [SPANIELL] TRACIE by ROBERT HERRICK THE ARAB TO THE PALM by BAYARD TAYLOR THE JEW'S GIFT; A.D. 1200 by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH MORNING STAR by HARRIET R. BEAN THE FLOWERS OF ETERNITY by HARRY RANDOLPH BLYTHE LUCERNE by WILLIAM LISLE BOWLES |