and swift her shapely prow
Will skim the deep, as swallows' fleet wing. Thou
Seest! comely and strong it is. For thee
Its golden sails, its purple canopy.
With skin of spotted pard, I cushioned it.
Ere the fresh breeze doth die, light let us flit
Across the sea. No craft so proud, so staunch,
Goes glancing through the foam. I safely launch
Her now, and speed to fairy isles. Come thou
With me." And glad she crossed the burnished prow;
And 'mong the thick furred rugs sat down. "Oh craft,
Fair fashioned, lightly built, speed far," she laughed;
"To other lands bear Lilith safe."
As sailed
They idly on, her slender hand she trailed
Among the waves, and sudden cried, "Indeed,
A craft stauncher than thine floats by. What need
Hath it of helm, or prow, or silken sail,
Sure harbor finding when the ocean gale
Fast drives it onward?" A nut she drew, round,
Rough, coarse-husked, forth from the wave. "Lo, I found,"
She said, "this boat well built. The cocoa-tree
Cast it amid the foam. Its pilot free,
The summer wind; its port, the misty shore
Of ocean isles. It fades from sight. 'No more,'
We say, 'it sails the wild uncertain main,'
But when the drifting days are gone, again
We turn our prow, and reach the barren isles
Where, stranded as we went, the nut. Now smiles
Above; a bending tree. Aloud we cry,
'A miracle is wrought!' We draw anigh.
Behold, the cocoa, towering, doth spring
Forth from the brown nut's heart. About it cling
Sweet odors faint; and far stars trembling peep.
When through its bowers cool the breezes creep.
Strong, indeed, thy boat, well builded! I wis
There be yet other craft as firm, Eblis,
That o'er these trackless waters boldly glide.
Brave Nautilus afar, doth fearless ride,
With sails of gossamer. So, too, doth spread,
To summer airs, his silken gleaming thread,
The water-spider fleet, free sailor true
That in the sunshine floats, beneath the blue,
Glad skies. And through the deep, all sparkling, slip
A thousand insect-swarms, that, rippling, dip
Amid the merry waves. Bright voyagers
That roam the sultry seas! Look, the wind stirs
Our creaking sails! Thy pinnace flying o'er
The ocean's swell, fast leaves the fading shore;
Yet faster still the Nautilus sails by,
And