To a Wave

List! thou child of wind and sea,
Tell me of the far-off deep,
Where the tempest's breath is free,
And the waters never sleep!
Thou perchance the storm hast aided,
In its work of stern despair,
Or perchance thy hand hath braided,
In deep caves, the mermaid's hair.
Wave! now on the golden sands,
Silent as thou art, and broken,
Bear'st thou not from distant strands
To my heart some pleasant token?
Tales of mountains of the south,
Spangles of the ore of silver;
Which, with playful singing mouth,
Thou hast leap'd on high to pilfer?
Mournful wave! I deem'd thy song
Was telling of a floating prison,
Which, when tempests swept along,
And the mighty winds were risen,
Founder'd in the ocean's grasp.
While the brave and fair were dying,
Wave! didst mark a white hand clasp
In thy folds, as thou wert flying?
Hast thou seen the hallow'd rock
Where the pride of kings reposes,
Crown'd with many a misty lock,
Wreathed with sapphire, green, and roses?
Or with joyous, playful leap,
Hast thou been a tribute flinging,
Up that bold and jutty steep,
Pearls upon the south wind stringing'!
Faded Wave! a joy to thee,
Now thy flight and toil are over!
O, may my departure be
Calm as thine, thou ocean-rover!
When this soul's last pain or mirth
On the shore of time is driven,
Be its lot like thine on earth,
To be lost away in heaven!