Outre Mer

Outre Mer

Original Text
The Poems of Henry Kendall, ed. Bertram Stephens (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1920): 374. Sydney Electronic Text and Image Service (SETIS), digital text sponsored by AustLit: http://setis.library.usyd.edu.au/ozlit
1I see, as one in dreaming,
2A broad, bright, quiet sea;
3Beyond it lies a haven--
4The only home for me.
5Some men grow strong with trouble,
6But all my strength is past,
7And tired and full of sorrow,
8I long to sleep at last.
9By force of chance and changes
10Man's life is hard at best;
11And, seeing rest is voiceless,
12The dearest thing is rest.
13Beyond the sea--behold it,
14The home I wish to seek
15The refuge of the weary,
16The solace of the weak!
17Sweet angel fingers beckon,
18Sweet angel voices ask
19My soul to cross the waters;
20And yet I dread the task.
21God help the man whose trials
22Are tares that he must reap;
23He cannot face the future--
24His only hope is sleep.
25Across the main a vision
26Of sunset coasts and skies,
27And widths of waters gleaming,
28Enchant my human eyes.
29I, who have sinned and suffered,
30Have sought--with tears have sought--
31To rule my life with goodness,
32And shape it to my thought;
33And yet there is no refuge
34To shield me from distress,
35Except the realm of slumber
36And great forgetfulness.

Notes

1] outre mer: overseas, beyond the sea. Back to Line
22] tares: weeds. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1920
Publication Notes
The Poems of Henry Kendall, ed. Bertram Stephens (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1920)
RPO poem Editors
Cameron La Follette
RPO Edition
2011
Rhyme
abcbdefeghih
Form
twelve-line stanzas