Sea Dreams.

I.     Oh, to see in the night in a May moon's light      A nymph from siren caves,     With a crown of pearl, sea-gems in each curl      Dance down white, star-stained waves!     Oh, to list in the gloam by the pearly foam      Of a sad, far-sounding shore     The strain of the shell of an ocean belle      From caves where the waters roar!     With a hollow shell drift up in the moon     To sigh in my ears this ocean tune: -              II.     "Wilt follow, wilt follow to caverns hollow,      That echo the tumbling spry?     Wilt follow thy queen to islands green,      Vague islands of witchery?     O follow, follow to grottoes hollow,      And isles in a purple sea,     Where rich roses twine and the lush woodbine      Weaves a musky canopy!"              III.     Oh, to float in the gloam on the bubbly foam      With her lily face above!     Oh, to lie in a barque and a wild song hark,      And a billow-nymph to love!     I'd lie at her feet and my heart should beat      To the music of her sighs;     But the stars in her face my passion should trace,      Unseen all the stars of the skies.              IV.     Away, away with the witch of spray      To her Aidenn islands far;     And the blue above, drunk-mad with love,      Dance down each singing star.     Leave, leave to the heaven its morning star      In a cloud of bolted snow,     To laugh at the world and herald far      Our wedlock and joy below.