I saw a boat sweep round the rock, Rowed with a steady grace; I saw the fisher's manly form, His brown and handsome face. "For love of her, to victory He his brave squadron led, Then broke his true heart, and her scarf Pillowed his dying head. "So died this knight of Normandy, Died with his sword unstained;" I know not that she heard my words, So near the boat had gained. I said, Heaven bless her, in my heart, She had no thought for me; I turned away and left them there Beside the beating sea. Behind me lay the sweet moonlight, My shadow went before, And passed a dark and gloomy shape Before me through the door. Oh strange and sad this life of ours, This life beneath the sun; O sad and strange and full of pain God help us, every one. God help us, that we may endure Like him of Normandy; And die with sword unstained, that has Led us to victory. SOMETIME. On the shore I sit and gaze Out on the twilight sea, For my ship may come, though many days I have waited patiently; With waiting trusting eyes, A lonely watch I keep For its silver sails to rise Like a blossom out of the deep. It is built of a costly wood, Bearing the strange perfume Of the gorgeous solitude, Where it grew in tropical gloom; And the odorous scent, the spicy balm Of its isle it will bear to me, As I stand on the shore, in the magic calm. And my ship come in from sea. It is laden with all that is sweet Of the beauty of every clime; Slowly and proudly 'twill glide to my feet In the eve of that fair "Sometime," Before me its sails will be furled, A princess I shall be, Crowned with the wealth of the world, When my ship comes in from sea. Sweet faces I then shall see, Tender, undoubting, true, Soft hands will be stretched to me With a welcome I never knew; In the peace of such tenderness I shall rest forevermore, And weep in my perfect bliss, As I never wept before. Sometimes I think it is not far And I bend my head and list, For I think I see a slender spar Gleam through the golden mist; And I fancy I hear the sound Of wind in a silken sail, And an odor rare from Eastern ground, Floats in on the languid gale. But I sit and watch the west Till the sun goes down, in vain; It was only a cloud with an ivory crest, A cloud of vapor and rain; It rises and hides the sea, And my heart grows chill and numb, Lest this terrible thing should be, That my ship will never come. But the morn is bright--the wave Is a golden and shining track, Softly the waters the white sands lave, And my trusting faith comes back; Oh, all that I ever lost, And all that I long to be, Will be mine when the deep is crossed, And my ship comes home from sea. MOTIVES. I said that I would see Her once, to curse her fair, deceitful grace, To curse her for my life-long agony; But when I saw her face, I said, "Sweet Christ, forgive both her and me."