Lucy Maud Montgomery (1874-1942)
Rain along Shore
1Wan white mists upon the sea,
2East wind harping mournfully
3All the sunken reefs along,
4Wail and heart-break in its song,
5But adown the placid bay
6Fisher-folk keep holiday.
7All the deeps beyond the bar
8Call and murmur from afar,
9'Plaining of a mighty woe
10Where the great ships come and go,
11But adown the harbor gray
12Fisher-folk keep holiday.
13When the cloudy heavens frown,
14And the sweeping rain comes down,
15Boats at anchorage must bide
16In despite of time or tide;
17Making merry as they may
18Fisher-folk keep holiday.
19Now is time for jest and song
20All the idle shore along,
21Now is time for wooing dear,
22Maidens cannot choose but hear;
23Daffing toil and care away
24Fisher-folk keep holiday.
25Oh, the fretted reefs may wail,
26Every man has furled his sail!
27Oh, the wind may moan in fear,
28Every lad is with his dear!
29Mirth and laughter have their way,
30Fisher-folk keep holiday.
Notes
23] Daffing: leaving behind.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: L. M. Montgomery, The Watchman and Other Poems (Toronto: McClelland, Goodchild and Stewart, 1916): 11-12. PS 8525 O68W3 Robarts Library.
First publication date:
May
1905
Publication date note: Ladies' World (May 1905): 5.
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: RPO 1998.
Recent editing: 2:2002/4/4
Rhyme: aabbcc
Other poems by Lucy Maud Montgomery
