NIGHT.
Ah, listen through the music, from the shore,
The “melancholy long-withdrawing roar”;
Beneath the Minster, and the windy caves,
The wide North Ocean, marshalling his waves
Even so forlorn–in worlds beyond our ken -
May sigh the seas that are not heard of men;
Even so forlorn, prophetic of man’s fate,
Sounded the cold sea-wave disconsolate,
When none but God might hear the boding tone,
As God shall hear the long lament alone,
When all is done, when all the tale is told,
And the gray sea-wave echoes as of old!
MORNING.
This was the burden of the Night,
The saying of the sea,
But lo! the hours have brought the light,
The laughter of the waves, the flight
Of dipping sea-birds, foamy white,
That are so glad to be!
“Forget!” the happy creatures cry,
“Forget Night’s monotone,
With us be glad in sea and sky,
The days are thine, the days that fly,
The days God gives to know him by,
And not the Night alone!”
***
Other Poems by Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang (1844-1912) was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and anthropologist. While he is primarily known for his literary works, he made significant contributions to various fields. Lang is best remembered for his series of collections of fairy tales, including “The Blue Fairy Book,” “The Red Fairy Book,” and many others. He was a prolific writer and published numerous poems, novels, and literary studies throughout his career.