Page:Barham Beach - a poem of regeneration.djvu/30

Listen, mortal ! Thou shalt learn for asking
Silent secret way
Thou mayst make assay
Of thy soul s estate: Lie idly basking
Near the pines some golden summer day,
Where thou hast a season put behind thee
Life and all its jars,
Where the branchy bars
Shake the scent from needle tufts that mind thee
Of the scarcely finer thistle stars,
Where the little laughing waves are curling
Flakily and sweet
To thy tired feet,
Salt and strength and sun commingled, swirling
Bound the brain where baffled currents meet,
If thou findst not then renewing, healing,
Joy of balm and brine,
Vigor as of wine,
Foes too long thy forces have been stealing,
Thou rt already dead as Wallenstein!
Even such assay as this was making
On a glowing day
Midst of merry May,
For the waves on Barham Beach were breaking
At the feet of one who listless lay,
Unto whom the sapphire sea was leaden,
Sodden as with tears,
Gray with heavy years, Whose sick heart beat loud enough to deaden
All the mirth and music of the spheres ;
Vain it seemed, great Nature s kind assuaging,
Wearily she smiled