My life's pilot

above the stars glimmer; below the waves shimmer; in a barge float on I and she.

I know her not, nor she knows me, night and day she rows me aimlessly, endlessly.

On her lips flickers a dreamy smile, and on the helm is her lily hand, she rows me on I know not to what strange shore of what strange land.

To herself she hums a melancholy tune to the rhythm of the oars; such melody was never heard save in types of old by grecian shores.

Where rowest thou me on, fair maid, to what unknown destiny? the waves about me rise and fall and round us roars the shoreless sea!

she replies me not, only smiles and rows me on miles and miles. how sweetly alluring entrancing are her charming ways, her wanton wiles!

“What eternal quest is this, for ever to wander and roam and roam, and in this watery trackless world, to float on like the floating foam?”

I ask her again, again she replies with her silence and her dreamy eyes. unbounded is the silence around unbounded vast the ocean lies!

“The stars rise and set, the seasons in cyclic orders come and go weary i am of this long voyage, maiden, and of watching the oceans ebb and flow”.

She replies me not, only smiles, and rows me on miles and miles. how sweetly alluring entrancing are her charming ways,her wanton wiles!

In what unknown nameless isle, on what barren shore forlorn, will thou wreck my frail canoe o thou,that rowest and rowest me on?’

I ask her again, again she replies with her silence and her dreamy eyes. unbounded is the silence around unbounded vast the ocean lies!

I caught her hand, i held her waist, and pressed her to my bosom’s core. “tell me, tell me, who art thou and why rowest thou me on for ever more”.

With heavenly grace at last she said, leaning against the anchor rope, “i lure men from birth to death, fair youth , my name is hope”.

Dark is the night and dark is the sea, above the stars glimmer, below the waves shimmer, in a barge float on i and she.

Now i know her and she knows me still, still, she rows me, aimlessly, endlessly...