Classic Poem

7. At Night in the Cabin.
The sea hath its pearls,
The Heaven hath its stars;
And my heart, my heart,
My heart hath its love.

Great are the sea, and the Heaven,
But greater still my heart;
And fairer than pearls or than starlight
Is the radiance of my love.

O little girl, my darling,
Come thou to my great heart;
My heart, and the sea, and the Heaven
Are fainting, are dying for love.

*****

On the azure vault of Heaven,
Where the lovely stars are twinkling;
Would that I might press my lips there,
Press them wild with storm of weeping.

For these stars are my beloved's
Eyes, a thousand times reflected,
Shining down in tender greeting,
From the azure vault of Heaven.

To the azure vault of Heaven,
To the eyes of my Beloved,
Lift I arms of deep devotion,
And I pray her and implore her:

Tender eyes, twin lamps of mercy,
Do ye make my spirit blissful!
Let me die so I may win you,
You and all the heavens about you.

*****

From those eyes of Heaven above me,
Golden sparks do fall and quiver
Through the dark, and all my spirit
Opens wide as love, and broadens.

O ye eyes of Heaven above me,
Shed your tears out on my spirit,
Let those star-tears falling softly
Overflow my stormy spirit.

*****

Cradled by the swelling waters,
Cradled by my dreaming fancies,
I lie silent in the cabin,
In my berth in darkest corner.

And I see through open port-holes
Shining stars high up above me;
Eyes so dearly loved, so tender,
Of my sweetest, best Beloved.

Eyes so dearly loved, so tender,
Keeping watch beside my pillow;
And they gleam and beckon to me
From the azure vault of Heaven.

Towards the azure vault of Heaven
Blissful hours long I lie gazing,
Till the silver veil of sea-mist
Veils the dear eyes shining on me.

On the planks of our vessel
Where was resting my dreamy head,
Broke all the breakers, the boisterous breakers,
With roaring and murmur
That reached to my ear:
" O foolish fellow!
Short is thine arm, and the Heavens are far,
And the stars are nailed as with nails above thee;
Yes, nails of gold.
Thy yearning is fruitless, and fruitless thy sighing,
'Twere well to close thine eyes and sleep. "

*****

And then I dreamt of heathland far extended,
Enveloped far and wide in white, white snow;
And underneath the white snow I was buried,
And slept the lonely, frozen sleep of Death.

Yet still above me from the darkened Heavens
The starry eyes gazed on my grave unceasing;
O sweetest eyes! whose glances beamed victorious,
Cheerful and calm, and filled with love undying.