Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Oceanica: Vol. XXXI. 1876–79. | | | | Polynesia: Sandwich Islands | | Hawaii | | William Gibson (1826–1887) |
| | (Excerpt)
AN OCEAN-PLANET, rounded by a glory, | |
| The billowy glory of the great Pacific, | |
| Withdrawn in spheres remote of rolling blue. | |
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| An island, central with inferior groupings, | |
| Like Jupiter, in the cerulean distance, | 5 |
| Magnificent among his circling moons. | |
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| Planet-like poiséd half submerged in ocean: | |
| One hemisphere above the water-level | |
| Apparent, belted by three climate-zones. | |
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| The heavy mango droops, the slim palm towers, | 10 |
| By intertropical shores; gleam silver summits | |
| (Through wind-clouds) Arctic with eternal frost. | |
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| Crowned with the vast white dome of Mauna Loa, | |
| Escarpments rich with the pandanus, rávines, | |
| Cascades and rainbows, form thy globular shell. | 15 |
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| A hollow globe; beneath the snow, the verdure, | |
| The ambient ocean, live, primordial fires, | |
| Which have created, dwell—and may destroy. * * * * * | |
| Hush,—hence the theme! ’T is torrid noon, with freshness | |
| On lake and waterfall, soft vowels and laughter | 20 |
| From brown amphibious girls in Eden’s guise. | |
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| And, as I gaze and write, glorious Hawáii! | |
| I see no terror in thy soaring beauty, | |
| Thy sky of lazuli and sapphire sea. | | | | |
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