Blue sky above, blue sea below, + 

Far off, the old Nile’s mouth, + 

’Twas a blue world, wherein did blow + 

A soft wind from the south. + 

In great and solemn heaves the mass + 

Of pulsing ocean beat, + 

Unwrinkled as the sea of glass + 

Beneath the holy feet. + 

With forward leaning of desire + 

The ship sped calmly on, + 

A pilgrim strong that would not tire + 

Or hasten to be gone. + 

List!⁠—on the wave!⁠—what can they be, + 

Those sounds that hither glide? + 

No lovers whisper tremulously + 

Under the ship’s round side! + 

No sail across the dark blue sphere + 

Holds white obedient way; + 

No far-fled, sharp-winged boat is near, + 

No following fish at play! + 

’Tis not the rippling of the wave, + 

Nor sighing of the cords; + 

No winds or waters ever gave + 

A murmur so like words; + 

Nor wings of birds that northward strain, + 

Nor talk of hidden crew: + 

The traveller questioned, but in vain⁠— + 

He found no answer true. + 

A hundred level miles away, + 

On Egypt’s troubled shore, + 

Two nations fought, that sunny day, + 

With bellowing cannons’ roar. + 

The fluttering whisper, low and near, + 

Was that far battle’s blare; + 

A lipping, rippling motion here, + 

The blasting thunder there. + 

Can this dull sighing in my breast + 

So faint and undefined, + 

Be the worn edge of far unrest + 

Borne on the spirit’s wind? + 

The uproar of high battle fought + 

Betwixt the bond and free, + 

The thunderous roll of armed thought + 

Dwarfed to an ache in me? + 