Once a Week (magazine)/Series 1/Volume 10/The earth to the sea
THE EARTH TO THE SEA.
From his rock pillow and his bed of sand
Old Neptuue rose just as the blushing Sun
Came forth the eastern gate dispensing smiles
O'er earth and sea. Old ocean's surface smooth,
With azure tint of sky, like mirror shone,
And scarce a ripple on its face appear'd,
Save by the zephyrs in pellucid rays
Disporting in their joy at dawn. Anon
A solemn voice was heard upon the shore:
'Twas Earth complaining of the havoc made
Upon her sons who travel o'er the deep.
"Behold," she said, "though now so hush'd and calm
All nature seems, the shore is overstrewn
With lifeless men and wreck of argosies,
Caused by the tempest which but lately raged.
O puissant god! it cannot be that thou
Shouldst pleasure take in vengeance on a race
Who for a time, and for a purpose wise,
Probative here abide, sustaining life
By store of food abundantly supplied
By teeming earth and sea. I pray thee, then,
Consider their sad case, thy fury stay,
And let them peacefully pursue their way."
The Seagod thus replied—"Deem not that I,
If ever vengeful, war with mortal foe.
'Tis true that my domain is oft, like yours,
The battlefield where spirits of the air,
Æolus-led, in elemental war
Disturb both earth and sea; 'tis also true
That creatures of the earth and sea and air
In these dire conflicts ofttimes meet their doom.
But 'mongst all living things the strong the weak
Subdue; and man o'er all lord paramount
Holds sway; and, though with reason sole endow'd,
In deadly feud against his fellow-man,
In one short moon more of his race are slain
Than in an age by elemental strife.
We know these things have ever been; but then,
Their cause and purpose are beyond our ken."
Old Earth thus saw how needless 'twere to roam—
That all reform must first commence at home.