A Calm.
The veil of night o'erspreads the torrid sky,
Through which a whelming gush of starlight breaks,
Oppressively resplendent to the eye,
As from his feverish sleep the sailor wakes --
Stretched on the deck, which now he nightly makes
His pillow, when his weary watch is done;
And the great moon is risen again, and takes
Her way through heaven still glowing from the sun,
And on the deaden'd deep our bark's a lonely one.
A fearful calm is dwelling on the sea,
As 'twere the waters dreaming in their sleep:
And heaven is full of a placidity
As awful as the slumber of the deep.
The few light clouds which on the horizon keep
Have in their aspect an ethereal death;
And vain the goodliest vessel a power to sweep
Along the waters -- there is not a breath
Of air to stir her sails, the blinding moon beneath.
A Breeze.
Look up among the multitude of lights,
Which hang in heaven so senseless and serene;
Behold the glory of these tropic nights --
Methought the azure depths which lie between
Those fairy worlds, where God is surely seen!
Look up in pious love's supremacy,
As glides our bark swift through the glowing scene;
And thy Creator's omnipresence see,
Where'er thy soul can search, some glimpse of Deity!
Oh, mortal! tear the serpent from thy brow,
Thy pride of heart should not profane thee here;
God on the waters waits thy worship now,
The God who loves the lowly heart sincere.
And who, tonight, could view and not revere
The hand which framed those shining mysteries,
Still shedding o'er each world's allotted sphere
The shadow of his glory? The glad seas,
Methinks, give praise to Him who gives this blessed breeze.
First published in Australasian Chronicle, 28 January 1841;
and later in
Stolen Moments: A Short Series of Poems by Henry Parkes, 1842.
Author reference sites: Austlit, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian Poetry Library
See also.
The veil of night o'erspreads the torrid sky,
Through which a whelming gush of starlight breaks,
Oppressively resplendent to the eye,
As from his feverish sleep the sailor wakes --
Stretched on the deck, which now he nightly makes
His pillow, when his weary watch is done;
And the great moon is risen again, and takes
Her way through heaven still glowing from the sun,
And on the deaden'd deep our bark's a lonely one.
A fearful calm is dwelling on the sea,
As 'twere the waters dreaming in their sleep:
And heaven is full of a placidity
As awful as the slumber of the deep.
The few light clouds which on the horizon keep
Have in their aspect an ethereal death;
And vain the goodliest vessel a power to sweep
Along the waters -- there is not a breath
Of air to stir her sails, the blinding moon beneath.
A Breeze.
Look up among the multitude of lights,
Which hang in heaven so senseless and serene;
Behold the glory of these tropic nights --
Methought the azure depths which lie between
Those fairy worlds, where God is surely seen!
Look up in pious love's supremacy,
As glides our bark swift through the glowing scene;
And thy Creator's omnipresence see,
Where'er thy soul can search, some glimpse of Deity!
Oh, mortal! tear the serpent from thy brow,
Thy pride of heart should not profane thee here;
God on the waters waits thy worship now,
The God who loves the lowly heart sincere.
And who, tonight, could view and not revere
The hand which framed those shining mysteries,
Still shedding o'er each world's allotted sphere
The shadow of his glory? The glad seas,
Methinks, give praise to Him who gives this blessed breeze.
First published in Australasian Chronicle, 28 January 1841;
and later in
Stolen Moments: A Short Series of Poems by Henry Parkes, 1842.
Author reference sites: Austlit, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian Poetry Library
See also.
