Poesy

The Miracles

I sent a message to my dear⁠—A thousand leagues and more to her⁠—The dumb sea-levels thrilled to hear,And Lost Atlantis bore to her.

Behind my message hard I came,And nigh had found a grave for me;But that I launched of steel and flameDid war against the wave for me.

Uprose the deep, by gale on gale,To bid me change my mind again⁠—He broke his teeth along my rail,And, roaring, swung behind again.

I stayed the sun at noon to tellMy way across the waste of it;I read the storm before it fellAnd made the better haste of it.

Afar, I hailed the land at night⁠—The towers I built had heard of me⁠—And, ere my rocket reached its height,Had flashed my Love the word of me.

Earth gave her chosen men of strength(They lived and strove and died for me)To drive my road a nation's length,And toss the miles aside for me.

I snatched their toil to serve my needs⁠—Too slow their fleetest flew for me⁠—I tired twenty smoking steeds,And bade them bait a new for me.

I sent the lightnings forth to seeWhere hour by hour she waited me.Among ten million one was she,And surely all men hated me!

Dawn ran to meet us at my goal⁠—Ah, day no tongue shall tell again!⁠—And little folk of little soulRose up to buy and sell again!

Sign in to like, rate and collect poems, and keep track of what you've read.

Text from a public-domain print edition.