Page:Poems of Sentiment and Imagination.djvu/207

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In the dim, delicious silence, even the water fell asleep,
Looking bright, and pure, and placid, and immeasurably deep;
And subdued by this strange beauty, the communer by my side
Hushed his spiritual revealings, and sat voiceless by his bride.
How beautiful the stillness! this intense yet softened rest!
A perfect sense of happiness thrilled deep within each breast!
When as we watched the tremble of the starlight on the stream
From out the shadow of a curve all noiseless as a dream,
All slowly, softly, silently, all spirit-like and clear.
Gliding through the gently parting waves a vessel did appear.
We hushed our breath—we hushed our hearts—no echo of a sound
Came in through the dim loveliness, the solemn air around!
We gazed upon the silent ship—no sign of life was there.
Yet on it glided gracefully, all tall, and straight, and fair!
We saw the ripples break away and lose themselves in light,
As gently but unwaveringly it stole upon our sight;
We saw each slender spar and mast defined against the sky,
As slowly, softly, silently, it phantom-like went by.
A feeling of sublimity, which could not be expressed.
Sank heavy through the breathless hush upon each throbless breast—
A sense of something beautiful, yet almost to be feared.
As slowly, softly, silently, the strange ship disappeared.
"Sybil" was breathed upon my ear in one low thrilling tone.
And I felt the clasping of a hand grow tighter on my own.
It was enough—within our souls each felt that ship to be
An emblem of our spirit-love—our mingled destiny!
It seemed so like a hallowed spell, so like a lovely dream,
With lingering steps we turned away from the star-lighted stream;
Its beauty was so strange, and wild, and inexpressible,
That after many days had passed we found no words to tell
Our thoughts of dreamy loveliness and certainty it gave.
That thus our still, deep, spirit-love should glide upon life's wave.
Clouds now are o'er our silent ship, and not one starry gleam
Falls softly through the shadows that dim life's troubled stream;
There aie storms, and clouds, and darkness, but I tremble not with fear.
For our ship will glide unshaken on till the stars again appear.