At Minas Basin and Other Poems — The Stormy Petrel

THE STORMY PETREL.

Fair hero, brave hero of sea-- The sea in its darkness of wrath!

I run down the breaker with thee, I mount the next in its path.

Our hearts beat together, charmed one, Lift their wings as fearless as free, Ride the gloom as if 'twere the sun Gold-bridled for you and for me.

Summer rain, the cold drifting sleet That whistles as spiteful as hail!

A roadstead, the billows that fleet Under the black lash of the gale!

We laugh at their seething, their roar, Draw our breath full in their face;

We have wings, we know we can soar,-- Your secret and mine in embrace!

(Wings, wings, the soul of our life!

Outspread they victory tell,-- Upliftings amid gulfs of strife, Wafts of heaven that keep us from hell!

) Brave hero, winged hero of sea-- The sea with black tempest in breast, Here we mount on the breakers, free, Soon to soar into calm, into rest!

OBLIVION.