A Starry Night at Sea

If heaven's bright halls are very far from sea,
I dread a pang the angels could not 'sage: —
The imprison'd sea-bird knows, and only he,
How drear, how dark may be the proudest cage:
Outside the bars he sees a prison still;
The self-same wood, or meadow, or silver stream
That lends the captive lark a joyous thrill
Is landscape in the sea-bird's prison-dream.
So might I pine on yonder starry floor
For sea-wind, deaf to all the singing spheres:
Billows like these that never knew a shore
Might mock mine eyes and tease mine hungry ears
No scent of amaranth o'er yon glittering vault
Might quell this breath of Ocean sharp and salt.