Mid Atlantic

If this were all!--A dream of dread Ran through me; I watched the waves that fled Pale--crested out of hollows black, The hungry lift of helpless waves, A million million tossing graves, A wilderness without a track Beneath the barren moon: If this were all! The stars of night remotely strewn Looked on that restless heave and fall. I seemed with them to watch this old Bright planet through the ages rolled, Self--tortured, burning splendours vain, And fevered with its greeds insane, And with the blood of peoples red; I watched it, grown an ember cold, Join in the dancing of the dead. The chilly half--moon sank; the sound Of naked surges roared around, And through my heart the darkness poured Surges as of a sea unshored. O somewhere far and lost from light Blind Europe battled in the night! Then sudden through the darkness came The vision of a child, A child with feet as light as flame Who ran across the bitter waves, Across the tumbling of the graves-- With arms stretched out he smiled. I drank the wine of life again, I breathed among my brother men, I felt the human fire. I knew that I must serve the will Of beauty and love and wisdom still; Though all my hopes were overthrown, Though universes turned to stone, I have my being in this alone And die in that desire.