By Sidney and Clifford Lanier.
O wish that’s vainer than the plash
Of these wave-whimsies on the shore:
“Give us a pearl to fill the gash —
God, let our dead friend live once more!”
O wish that’s stronger than the stroke
Of yelling wave and snapping levin;
“God, lift us o’er the Last Day’s smoke,
All white, to Thee and her in Heaven!”
O wish that’s swifter than the race
Of wave and wind in sea and sky;
Let’s take the grave-cloth from her face
And fall in the grave, and kiss, and die!
Look! High above a glittering calm
Of sea and sky and kingly sun,
She shines and smiles, and waves a palm —
And now we wish — Thy will be done!
(Sidney Lanier)
More Poetry from Sidney Lanier:
Sidney Lanier Poems based on Topics: God, Heaven, Smiling, Kiss- A Florida Ghost. (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- In The Foam. (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- On Violet's Wafers, Sent Me When I Was Ill (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- The Dying Words Of Stonewall Jackson (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- To Baynard Taylor (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- A Florida Sunday. (Sidney Lanier Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: God Poems, Heaven Poems, Smiling Poems, Kiss PoemsBased on Keywords: swifter, snapping, sidney, vainer, levin, plash, clifford, yelling, gash, grave-cloth, lanier
- The Helot (Isabella Valancy Crawford Poems)
- The Believer's Soliloquy; Especially in Times of Desertion, Temptation, Affliction (Ralph Erskine Poems)
- The School-Boy (Oliver Wendell Holmes Poems)
- The School Of The Heart. Lesson The First (Henry Alford Poems)
- The Three Gossips' Wager (Jean de La Fontaine Poems)