Storm on the heaving waters! -----The vast sky Is stooping with its thunder. Cloud on cloud Rolls heavily in the darkness, like a shroud Shaken by midnight’s Angel from on high, Through the thick sea-mist, faintly and afar, Chorazin’s watch-light glimmers like a star, And, momently, the ghastly cloud-fires play On the dark sea-wall of Capernaum’s bay, And tower and turret into light spring forth Like specters staring from the storm-swept Earth; And vast and awful, Tabor’s mountain form, Its Titan forehead naked to the storm, Towers for one instant, full and clear, and then Blends with the blackness and the cloud again.
And it is very terrible!----The roar Ascendeth unto heaven, and thunders back, Like the response of demons, from the black Rifts of the hanging tempest----yawning o’er The wild waves in their torment. Hark!----the Cry Of strong man in peril, piercing through The uproar of the waters and the sky, As the4 rent bark one moment rides to view, On the billows, with the thundercloud Closing around, above her, like a shroud!
He stood upon the reeling deck---His form Made visible by the lightning, and His brow Pale, and uncover’d to the rushing storm, Told of a triumph man may never know---- Power underived and mighty ----“PEACE----BE STILL! ” The great waves heard Him, and the storm’s loud tone Went moaning into silence at his will: And the thick clouds, where yet the lightning Shone, And slept the latent thunder, roll’d away. Until no trace of tempest lurk’d behind, Changing, upon the pinions of the wind, To stormless wanderers, beautiful and gay.
Dread Ruler of the tempest! Thou before Whose presence boweth the uprisen storm---- To whom the waves do homage round the shore Of many an Island empire!----if the form Of the frail dust beneath Thine eye, may claim Thy infinite regard----oh, breathe upon The storm and man’s soul the Same Quiet, and, peace, and humblenesswhich came O’er the roused waters, where Thy voice Had gone A minister of power-----to conquer Thy name!
written by John G. Whittier
Cast in Shadow · Tue Nov 07, 2006 @ 04:06am · 0 Comments |