Phantom Cities [Sea-Sonnet IX; Mirage I]

See, through the morn’s mysterious light and shade
   So weirdly blended in the opal skies,
   What shapes from distant land and ocean rise,
Strange as the storied towers of Scheherizade;
Castles on castles, on turrets, turrets laid,
   And air-borne minarets, and misty dyes
   Of orient vapor streaming, banner-wise,
O’er looped and battlemented walls air-made
And wavering as the banners. Shafts of grey
   Shoot up like monolinths [sic] and crumble down’
Baalbec and Egypt in fantastic play
   Rehearsing their long centuries of renown!
Phantasmal dreams of cities far away,
Spectres of ages, evoked for holiday!