Her fancy wandered to the shore
Sunburnt beneath the noonday skies,
Again the fisher lads she saw,
Their willing arms and- eager eyes.
Saw their young smiles, whose tender gleams
Held all the love she had not known,
And, blushing in her morning dreams,
Felt their red lips against her own.
But all day long her self-control
Concealed her loneliness too well.
Alas! these barriers of the soul,
So slight, yet so invincible!
Time passed: her azure eyes grew sad,
Dull sorrow dimmed their dancing blue,
While many a pensive fisher lad
Envied the seagulls as they flew.
Envied them their sweet liberty,
Free of the ocean, free to love,
On light untrammelled wings, while he
As well might woo the stars above
As the young maiden of his choice.
Her gentle beauty bloomed in vain,
She knew no art, he found no voice
To bridge the gulf between them twain.
66
