The chill obstruction never to the end Was altogether thawed in Shimei's heart To make him childlike placable and mild. Perhaps more time, and vernal influence Permitted longer to brood over him, Had made it different; but the time was short For Shimei in that air of Paradise. The voyage long had been with froward winds; At length those winds blew into tempest wild, With winter lightnings strangely intermixed, God thundering marvellously with His voice: All on that ship were awed, and some appalled. Shimei, hugging himself upon the deck Where most were gathered, for to most it seemed Better to stand beneath the open sky Shelterless, than, though sheltered, not to see God make himself thus terrible in storm-- Shimei, who, not more helpless than the rest, Felt a degree more helpless through his chains, Listened intently, with some power of calm Communicated to him, while, in tones Depressed unshaken into depths of awe, Paul, meek inheritor of the universe, As conscious child to God through Jesus Christ-- The spirit of adoption in his heart That moment crying, "Abba Father!"--spoke Of how those dwelling in the secret place Of the Most High, beneath the shadow abode Of the Almighty, safe from every harm. Amid the booms of thunder bursting nigh The dreadful forks of lightning flashed the while And fell all round the ship into the sea, Frequent, dividing pathways blinding bright Between sheer walls of blackness built like stone, So dense was piled the darkness of the night! For it was night, no moon, no star, and cloud Hung drooping in festoons from all the sky Wind-swept along the bosom of the deep-- Sky only by the lightning flashes seen, At intervals, yet every moment felt, Oppressive, like a mighty incubus. The lightning flashes thick and thicker fell, Near, nearer, deadlier, as in conscious aim, Like the fierce vengeful flames from heaven that once Elijah prophet, on Mount Carmel, drew Down on his altar trenched about with flood: Those tongues of fire that circling trench lapped dry, But these divided tongues of lightning seemed Equal to lick the boundless ocean up!