Dirge
by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851)

This morn thy gallant bark, love,
Sailed on a sunny sea;
‘Tis noon, and tempests dark, love,
Have wrecked it on the lee.
Ah woe! Ah woe! Ah woe!
By spirits of the deep
He’s cradled on the billow
To his unwaking sleep.

Thou liest upon the shore, love,
Beside the knelling surge,
But sea-nymphs evermore, love,
Shall sadly chaunt thy dirge.
Oh come! Oh come! Oh come!
Ye spirits of the deep,
While near his seaweed pillow
My lonely watch I keep.

From far across the sea, love,
I hear a wild lament,
By Echo’s voice for thee, love,
From ocean’s caverns sent:
Oh list! Oh list! Oh list!
The spirits of the deep —
Loud sounds their wail of sorrow,
While I for ever weep.

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