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| AS ships, becalmed at eve, that lay | |
| With canvas drooping, side by side, | |
| Two towers of sail at dawn of day | |
| Are scarce long leagues apart descried; | |
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| When fell the night, upsprung the breeze, | 5 |
| And all the darkling hours they plied, | |
| Nor dreamt but each the self-same seas | |
| By each was cleaving, side by side: | |
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| E’en so—but why the tale reveal | |
| Of those, whom year by year unchanged, | 10 |
| Brief absence joined anew to feel, | |
| Astounded, soul from soul estranged? | |
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| At dead of night their sails were filled, | |
| And onward each rejoicing steered— | |
| Ah, neither blame, for neither willed, | 15 |
| Or wist, what first with dawn appeared! | |
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| To veer, how vain! On, onward strain, | |
| Brave barks! In light, in darkness too, | |
| Through winds and tides one compass guides: | |
| To that, and your own selves, be true. | 20 |
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| But O blithe breeze; and O great seas, | |
| Though ne’er, that earliest parting past, | |
| On your wide plain they join again, | |
| Together lead them home at last. | |
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| One port, methought, alike they sought, | 25 |
| One purpose hold where’er they fare,— | |
| O bounding breeze, O rushing seas! | |
| At last, at last, unite them there! | |
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