s, and loose it on the deep,
Placing myself within it:--It would come,
By force of an unknown and magic current,
(The thought of which, in speculative minds,
Had long been cherished,) straightway to the shore
Of the strange country where, enthralled, he dwelt.
If I still loved him, this would prove my love!

"Straight from my couch I rose, and like a ghost
Stole through the darkness of my father's halls;
Fled to the sea; and in my fragile bark
I heaped a few fresh fruits, and bore a vase
Filled with fresh water,--this was all my store.
I loosed my shallop from the anchoring rock,
And, as it drifted out upon the tide,
I leaned upon the single, slender oar
Whose aid was all I asked upon the deep.
Before my yearning vision lay my home,
Fading away from sight as the full tide
Went murmuring back from its delightful shores.
The loveliest hour of all the twenty-four
Charmed earth and ocean, that eventful time.
Moonlight and morning, softly blending, lay
Upon the land; while down the glassy sea,
Far in the distance, slowly stole a band
Of sunrise glories, smiling, looking back,
And glowing with warm splendors. All the East
Was crimson with their blushes, and the waves
Which followed in their bright and stately way
Wore crests of gold, and purple-shaded robes.
Next came light breezes blowing from the land,
Odorous with roses, sweet with drowsy songs
Of nightingales, and cool with myrtle leaves,
Following down the path the sunrise took.
And next, the stars went dimly down the west,
Crowd upon crowd, in slow and shining cars,
Bright wheeling down their heaven-appointed way.

"All day the sun shadowed himself in clouds;
My cheeks scarce browned beneath his cooled rays.
At night I sank contentedly to sleep,
Upon the silken cushions of my bark;
Then mermaids, who, attracted by my voice,
Had floated round me, underneath the waves,
Not daring to appear, swam near, reached out
Their arms of glowing white, and touched the boat.
Charmed by the helplessness of sleep in me,
They chanted sea-hymns, and I, straightway, dreamed
Of tinkling fountains in my father's halls,
And how my lover sat beside me there,
Murmuring his words of love in my thrilled ear.
They rocked the bark, too, with their lily hands,
As tender mothers rock thei