Classic Poem

Down to the Sea, — the Sea ,
That waits to set men free!

Down to the sea I came.
The sea was all one flame:
The sea, the thousand glories and the same!

From every wave did run!
A thousand lights — and one,
With rainbow-shattered halos of the sun!

From every light that sprang,
A music rang
Back to the thronging tide, that surged and sang.

The tides with rapturous lips,
Sang on, — sang on the ships:
The sun-path dipped, in star-sown far eclipse.

O veil of farness, donned,
And shed as any bond,
For veil on veil of beckoning beyond; —

O Sea, that would outstrip
Slow dreams of fellowship,
Beckoning still, beyond the sails that dip!

Wings, wings, forbid it me,
My own should prison me
From that mirage of glimmering prophecy: —

The dearness dim-divined,
Of stranger-kind,
That far horizon calls me on, to find!

Lest I should wall me in
With my near kin; —
Lead on, — lead on, to where the stars begin.

O sea-path, and sea-fire
To light the far folk nigher,
And thirst, forever one with heart's desire!

Still sing me to the ken
Of singing, sailing men;
The nearing lights and eyes, — again, again!

With sagas of the foam,
That sing the good ships home
From east and west, to port of spire and dome.

With harbor-lights, that are
As word of star to star, —
The mother-tongue of light, from near to far!

All hail! ...
Call of the sparkling trail
That bids my heart on, as a lifted sail!

The sail fulfilled of Breath: —
Triumphing sail, that saith,
" And whither now? And whither now, —
O Death?"

Down to the Sea, — the Sea ,
That waits to set men free!