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| MY way is on the bright blue sea, | |
| My sleep upon its rocking tide; | |
| And many an eye has followed me | |
| Where billows clasp the worn seaside. | |
| |
| My plumage bears the crimson blush, | 5 |
| When ocean by the sun is kissed! | |
| When fades the evening’s purple flush, | |
| My dark wing cleaves the silver mist. | |
| |
| Full many a fathom down beneath | |
| The bright arch of the splendid deep | 10 |
| My ear has heard the sea-shell breathe | |
| O’er living myriads in their sleep. | |
| |
| They rested by the coral throne, | |
| And by the pearly diadem; | |
| Where the pale sea-grape had o’ergrown | 15 |
| The glorious dwellings made for them. | |
| |
| At night upon my storm-drench’d wing, | |
| I poised above a helmless bark, | |
| And soon I saw the shattered thing | |
| Had passed away and left no mark. | 20 |
| |
| And when the wind and storm were done, | |
| A ship, that had rode out the gale, | |
| Sunk down, without a signal-gun, | |
| And none was left to tell the tale. | |
| |
| I saw the pomp of day depart— | 25 |
| The cloud resign its golden crown, | |
| When to the ocean’s beating heart | |
| The sailor’s wasted corse went down. | |
| |
| Peace be to those whose graves are made | |
| Beneath the bright and silver sea! | 30 |
| Peace—that their relics there were laid | |
| With no vain pride and pageantry. | |
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