452 THE DREAM OF TUB SHIPWRECKED MARINER. 



And in its pitiless fury hurled 

 Ravage and ruin o'er the world. 

 Methought that ^Etna's fires were drenched 



By the devouring sea. 

 And that nigh where the hot Monnt stood 

 There was a boiling in the flood. 



Babbling eternally. 

 An angel's wings, methought, were mine. 



And 1 flew onwards still, and found no rest ; 

 Nought met mine eye 

 But the grey-coloured sky 



And the wide ocean's dread eternal breast. 

 There was no sound except the blast. 



Rushing for ever o'er the sea; 

 And I claimed kindred with it, as it passed. 



Because it mourned like me 

 O'er the departed earth. 



And wept that in its course it saw no life 

 And heard no voice of mirth. 



No sound of human passion nor of strife. 

 I was alone — all else had fled^ — 



In the vast world I was alone r 

 Earth's children were all dead 



And buried with their mother in the deep. 

 Which had claimed all things for its own. 



And left but me to weep. 

 And yet amid this deep distress. 

 This utter utter weariness. 

 But one desire was in my heart. 



One feeling o'er my soul imprest. 

 One thought all other thoughts above. 

 And that was the desire of love 



Burning for ever in my breast. 

 How could I love ? "With weary ken, 



I turned my gaze across the sea ; 

 But perished was the race of men. 



There was no living thing but me. 



Not even a blossom or a tree. 

 I stopped and gazed upon the flood 



And then upon the sombre sky ; 

 And, in the bitterness of grief, 



I prayed to the Most High : — 

 " O Father of this dreary world. 



Father of all that is or were, 

 Parent of many spheres, to thee 



I raise the humble prayer. 

 Last of ny race — a lonely man — 



Nought breathes the breath of life but me ; 

 The fair, the beautiful, green land 



Has found a grave beneath the sea. 



And there is none to worship thee. 

 Sunk, sunk for ever is the populous earth ; 

 And from the desolate sea there is no birth. 

 No living thing, whose prayer 



May mount with mine above. 

 On whom this bursting heart 



May pour o'erflowing love. 



