Henry C. Thomas. A Girl Dancing on the Shore. Harriet Monroe, ed. Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912-22

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22.

A Girl Dancing on the Shore

By Henry C. Thomas


DANCE on, dance swift to your flute’s song,
Girl of the setting sun!
The waves are wild to do you wrong
Before the dance is done;
But your white fleeting feet	5
Have caught the sway and beat
Of the ocean’s eager cry.
The wave-men vainly strain
To drown your slow refrain
And the flute’s mellow sigh.	10

Dance on, dance swift, light on the breeze—
You, the pale sea’s fair daughter!
The sun has set beyond the seas
In lakes of gilded water.
So play like tossing spray	15
As mistily fades the day,
And smoke-blue shadows creep.
Now tread one rhythm more,
Then rest upon the shore
And pipe the waves to sleep.	20