The Mystic Sea (by Paul Laurence Dunbar)

Paul Laurence Dunbar, 1872-1906
(Dayton, Ohio)
The Mystic Sea
The smell of the sea in my nostrils,
The sound of the sea in mine ears;
The touch of the spray on my burning face,
Like the mist of reluctant tears.
The blue of the sky above me,
The green of the waves beneath;
The sun flashing down on a gray-white sail
Like a scimitar from its sheath.
And ever the breaking billows,
And ever the rocks' disdain;
And ever a thrill in mine inmost heart
That my reason cannot explain.
So I say to my heart, "Be silent,
The mystery of time is here;
Death's way will be plain when we fathom the main,
And the secret of life be clear."





Beautiful!
Loved it completely... and especially the last two lines...
there is so much that has been conveyed here...
Reply to this
Thank you, Tanuj!
Reply to this
Like this too. I don't know that I've ever read any of Dunbar's poetry...
This is what I like about the Library... :-)
Reply to this
Thanks, Chris! Here are a couple of others I like by him:
To a Captious Critic (by Paul Laurence Dunbar)
The Right to Die (by Paul Laurence Dunbar)
Reply to this