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St. Helena [poem by William Blocksidge (William Baylebridge)]

12 March 2021 · Leave a Comment

[Editor: This poem by William Blocksidge (also known as William Baylebridge) was published in Songs o’ the South (1908).]

St. Helena

Thou gem of Moreton, sleeping in the sun
As if contentment filled thy soul within,
And not the wretchedness that branded sin
For baser minds beneath those walls hath won —
To kiss thy golden feet the wavelets run;
For thee, when Phoebus doth his march begin,
What purple shrouds, with many a jewelled pin
Binding their folds, the morning breeze hath spun!
Thy blood-red bosom, filled with comely pride,
Doth stand above fair green-bekirtled maids;
And when the moon her silver beams hath tied
About thy form, such loveliness invades
Its being that thou seemest then a bride,
Wed to the sea in those enchanting shades!



Source:
William Blocksidge, Songs o’ the South, London: Watts, 1908, p. 55

Editor’s notes:
bekirtled = wearing a kirtle, covered by a kirtle (a kirtle is a long dress, gown, or outer petticoat, worn by women, especially in the Middle Ages, but also in later times; or a knee-length tunic or coat, worn by men, especially in the Middle Ages)

doth = (archaic) does

hath = (archaic) has

maid = maiden, young woman, young female (may also refer to a female servant)

Moreton = Moreton Bay (a bay situated on the coast of Queensland, east of Brisbane); can also refer to Moreton Island (an island situated in Moreton Bay)

Phoebus = the sun; a reference to Phoebus (also known as Apollo) who, in Greek mythology, was the god of light (amongst other things) and in literature was often identified with the sun

seemest = (archaic) seem

thee = (archaic) you

thou = (archaic) you

thy = (archaic) your

wavelet = a small wave; a ripple on the water

Filed Under: poetry Tagged With: poem, Songs o’ the South (William Blocksidge 1908), SourceSLV, William Baylebridge (1883-1942) (author), William Blocksidge (1883-1942) (author), year1908

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