A Sea-Side Walk
We
walked
beside
the
sea,
After
a
day
which
perished
silently
Of
its
own
glory—-like
the
Princess
weird
Who,
combating
the
Genius,
scorched
and
seared,
Uttered
with
burning
breath,
"Ho!
victory!"
And
sank
adown,
an
heap
of
ashes
pale;
So
runs
the
Arab
tale.
The
sky
above
us
showed
An
universal
and
unmoving
cloud,
On
which,
the
cliffs
permitted
us
to
see
Only
the
outline
of
their
majesty,
As
master-minds,
when
gazed
at
by
the
crowd!
And,
shining
with
a
gloom,
the
water
grey
Swang
in
its
moon-taught
way.
Nor
moon
nor
stars
were
out.
They
did
not
dare
to
tread
so
soon
about,
Though
trembling,
in
the
footsteps
of
the
sun.
The
light
was
neither
night's
nor
day's,
but
one
Which,
life-like,
had
a
beauty
in
its
doubt;
And
Silence's
impassioned
breathings
round
Seemed
wandering
into
sound.
O
solemn-beating
heart
Of
nature!
I
have
knowledge
that
thou
art
Bound
unto
man's
by
cords
he
cannot
sever—-
And,
what
time
they
are
slackened
by
him
ever,
So
to
attest
his
own
supernal
part,
Still
runneth
thy
vibration
fast
and
strong,
The
slackened
cord
along.
For
though
we
never
spoke
Of
the
grey
water
and
the
shaded
rock,—-
Dark
wave
and
stone,
unconsciously,
were
fused
Into
the
plaintive
speaking
that
we
used,
Of
absent
friends
and
memories
unforsook;
And,
had
we
seen
each
other's
face,
we
had
Seen
haply,
each
was
sad.
