69 . Sea-Grief

ALONG the serried coast the Southerly raves,

Grey birds scream landward through the distance hoar,

And, swinging from the dim confounded shore,

The everlasting boom of broken waves

Like muffled thunder rolls about the graves

Of all the wonder-lands and lives of yore,

Whose bones asunder bleach for evermore,

In sobbing chasms and under choking caves:

O breaking heart—whose only rest is rage,

White tossing arms, and lips that kiss and part

In lonely dreams of love’s wild ecstasy,

Not the mean earth thy suffering can assuage

Nor highest heaven fulfil thy hungry heart,

O fair full-bosomed passionate weeping sea.