DOVER BEACH

DOVER BEACH BY MATEW ANOLD

THE SEA IS CALM TONIGHT
THE TIDE IS FULL, THE MOON IS FAIR
UPON THE STRAITS, ON THE FRENCH COAST LIGHT
GLEAMS AND IS GONE, THE CLIFFS OF ENGLAND STAND
GLIMMERING AND VAST, OUT IN THE TRANQUIL BAY
COME TO THE WINDOW, SWEET IS THE NIGHT AIR
ONLY, FROM THE LONG LINE OF SPRAY
WHERE THE SEA MEETS THE MOON-BLANCHED LAND
LISTEN, YOU HEAR THE GRATING ROAR
OF PEBBLES WHICH THE WAVES DRAW BACK, AND FLING
AT THEIR RETURN, UP THE HIGH STAND
BEGIN AND CEASE, AND THEN BEGIN AGAIN
WITH TREMULOUS CADENCE SLOW, AND IT BRING
THE ETERNAL NOTE OF SADNESS IN


SOPHOCLES LONG AGO
HEARD IT ON THE AEGEAN, AND IT BROUGHT
INTO HIS MIND THE TURBID EBB AND FLOW
OF HUMAN MISERY; WE
FIND ALSO IN THE SOUND A THOUGHT
HEARING IT BY THIS DISTANT NORTHERN SEA


THE SEA OF FAITH
WAS ONCE, TOO, AT THE FULL, AND ROUND EARTH'S SHORE
LAY LIKE THE FOLDS OF A BRIGHT GIRDLE FURLED
BUT NOW I ONLY HEAR
ITS MELANCHOLY, LONG, WITHDRAWING ROAR
RETREATING, TO THE BREATH
OF THE NIGHT WIND, DOWN THE VAST EDGES VAST
AND NAKED SHINGLES OF THE WORLD



AH, LOVE, LET US BE TRUE
TO ONE ANOTHER, FOR THE WORLD, WHICH SEEMS
TO LIE BEFORE US LIKE A LAND OF DREAMS
SO VARIOUS, SO BEAUTIFUL, SO NEW
HATH REALLY NEITHER JOY, NOR LOVE, NOR LIGHT
NOR CERTITUDE, NOR PEACE, NOR HELP FOR PAIN
AND WE ARE HEAR AS ON A DARKLING PLAIN
SWEPT WITH CONFUSED ALARMS OF STRUGGLE AND FLIGHT
THE IGNORANT ARMIES CLASH BY NIGHT