BETA

I.—The Old Man of Hoy.

The old man of Hoy1
Looks out on the sea2
Where the tide runs strong, and the wave
rides free :3
He looks on the broad Atlantic sea,4
And the old man of Hoy5
Hath this great joy,6
To hear the deep roar of the wide blue
ocean,7
And to stand unmoved ’mid the sleepless
motion,8
And to feel o’er his head9
The white veil spread10
From the foam-wave proudly swelling,11
And to care no whit12
For the storm’s rude fit13
Where he stands on his old rock-dwelling,14
This rare old man of Hoy.15
The old man of Hoy16
Looks out on the sea17
Where the tide runs strong, and the wave
rides free :18
He looks on the broad Atlantic sea,19
And the old man of Hoy20
Hath this great joy,21
To look on the flight of the wild sea-mew,22
With their hoar nests hung o’er the waters
blue ;23
To see them swing24
On plunging wing,25
And to hear their shrill notes swelling,26
And with them to reply27
To the storm’s war-cry28
As he stands on his old rock-dwelling ;29
This rare old man of Hoy.30
The old man of Hoy31
Looks out on the sea32
Where the tide runs strong, and the wave
rides free :33
He looks on the broad Atlantic sea,34
And the old man of Hoy35
Hath this great joy,36
When the sea is white, and the sky is black,37
And the helmless ship drives on like wrack,38
To see it dash39
At his feet with a crash40
With the sailors’ death-note knelling,41
And to hear their shrieks42
With pitiless cheeks,43
This stern old man of Hoy.44
The old man of Hoy45
Looks out on the sea46
Where the tide runs strong, and the wave
rides free :47
He looks on the broad Atlantic sea,48
And the old man of Hoy49
Hath this great joy,50
To think on the pride of the sea-kings old,51
Harolds, and Ronalds, and Sigurds bold,52
Whose might was felt,53
By the cowering Celt,54
When he heard their war-cry yelling :55
But the sea-kings are gone,56
And he stands alone,57
Firm on his old rock-dwelling,58
This stout old man of Hoy.59
The old man of Hoy60
Looks out on the sea61
Where the tide runs strong, and the wave
rides free :62
He looks on the broad Atlantic sea,63
And the old man of Hoy64
Hath this great joy,65
To think on the gods that were mighty of
yore66
Braga, and Baldur, and Odin, and Thor,67
And giants of power68
In fateful hour,69
’Gainst the great gods rebelling :70
But the gods all are dead,71
And he rears his head72
Alone from his old rock-dwelling,73
This stiff old man of Hoy.74
But listen to me,75
Old man of the sea,76
List to the Skulda that speaketh by me ;77
The Nornies are weaving a web for thee,78
Thou old man of Hoy,79
To ruin thy joy,80
And to make thee shrink from the lash of the
ocean,81
And teach thee to quake with a strange com-
motion,82
When over thy head83
And under thy bed84
The rampant wave is swelling,85
And thou shalt die86
’Neath a pitiless sky,87
And reel from thine old rock-dwelling,88
Thou stout old man of Hoy !89