Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Oceanica: Vol. XXXI. 1876–79.
Hawaii
By William Gibson (18261887)A
The billowy glory of the great Pacific,
Withdrawn in spheres remote of rolling blue.
Like Jupiter, in the cerulean distance,
Magnificent among his circling moons.
One hemisphere above the water-level
Apparent, belted by three climate-zones.
By intertropical shores; gleam silver summits
(Through wind-clouds) Arctic with eternal frost.
Escarpments rich with the pandanus, rávines,
Cascades and rainbows, form thy globular shell.
The ambient ocean, live, primordial fires,
Which have created, dwell—and may destroy.
Hush,—hence the theme! ’T is torrid noon, with freshness
On lake and waterfall, soft vowels and laughter
From brown amphibious girls in Eden’s guise.
I see no terror in thy soaring beauty,
Thy sky of lazuli and sapphire sea.