But this most sweet and lighted calm,
Its blue and midnight hour,
Wakened the hidden springs of his heart,
With a deep and secret power.
Is there some nameless boding sent,
Like a noiseless voice from the tomb?—
A spirit note from the other world,
To warn of death and doom?
He thought of his home, of his own fair land,
And the warm tear rushed to his eye;
Almost with fear he looked around,
But no cloud was on the sky.
He sought his cabin, and joined his band—
The wine cup was passing round;
He joined in their laugh, he joined in the song,
But no mirth was in the sound.
Peaceful they sought their quiet sleep,
In the soft and lovely night;
But, like life, the sea was false, and hid
The cold dark rock from sight.
At midnight there came a sudden shock,
And the sleepers sprang from bed;
There was one fierce cry of last despair—
The waves closed over head.
There was no dark cloud on the morning sky,
No fierce wind on the morning air;
The sun shone over the proud ship's track,
But no proud ship was there! Iole.
