Page:Verses–Blanche·Baughan-1898.pdf/123

 Open’d her eyes and half-beheld the sea, Laid, blue and darkling, ’neath the pale blue sky Whereon were spread dawn’s rosy ruffled wings; Till, last, her idle gaze fell on the line Sundering sky and ocean, What was that Which marr’d the perfect globing of the curve Hard by the purple rock? Her dreamy mind Sprang into vigilant life. She saw the fleck How it grew greater, greater,—nay, became No longer one, but manifold, each part Instantly limn’d more clear, more dark, upon The brightening sky—till suddenly there shot Out of the midst a fairy white-wing’d bird, That flew and floated o’er the gentle sea Right towards the palace-stairway; but the rest Went sweeping onwards, up the wide-mouth’d bay; And then Nereia saw that they were ships, Tall and full-sail’d, that, moving stately on, Sought room to ride within the harbour, where Was water deep eno’ for such great keels.