A Seaconnet Sunset

The sun is down, but redly burn 
     His parting steps on sea and shore:
The very clouds to glory turn, 
     And shed the light they veiled before,
Till glowing deep and glowing skies
Are one vast gulf of myriad dyes.

Along the level tides that crawl
     Between Aquidneck's dusky bar 
And red Seaconnet's granite wall.
     The splendor wavers near and far:
Here, shimmering swells of liquld gold, 
There, seas in royal purple rolled.

And all this sleepy motion braids
     The mingling glories in and out,
The thousand threaded gleams and shader
     That wrap and fold me round about, 
Their faintest hues too rich to name, 
Their best the God-throne's jewel flame!

The splendor wraps me fold on fold, 
     I cannot lift the drooping oar, 
Sunk tremulous in the molten gold 
     That welters to the western shore 
For fear a sudden plash would break 
Earth's dream of Heaven, and I awake!

Slowly the splendor melts away,
     Too rich for earth, for Heaven too fleet,
The eastern rim of night grows grey, 
     And & lone star with silver feet 
Steps from the amber paven west, 
And beckons to the land of rest!

A golden butterfly that swings
     Upon a red streak'd tulip's bloom, 
And slowly spreads and shuts his wings,
     Coming and going in a gloom
Still touched with sunset's rosy shades, 
Point Judith's phares burns and fades!

On Breton's Reef the long swell mocks
     A hydra's writhing; those twin stars 
Are his flame-eyes, that reel and rock 
     Above the light-ship's tossing spars, 
And flash his iridescent scales
More faintly as the cloud's light falls.

Now, lingering shallop, kiss the shore;
     Heaven’s gate rolls in its chrysolite, 
And shows the sapphire side once more,
     And the dim sea forgets the sight.
But not a shadow pales for me
The splendors of that sunset sea.