Wavebreak

From the emancipated ground,

I hear the waves’ eternal sound,

Surging and urging rocks around,

Churning, cascading, fading away

Into the distant far-off grey.

The rocks and reefs the waves abound –

(Craving and staving, barrels, casks,

Floating with their riven masks) –

Rocks which silently sustain the shock,

Surging and urging. Lifeless blocks

Withstand in silence the attacks,

Remain removed, detached, uncomplaining stone.

The waves withdraw from the attack,

Then silently come sweeping back

Accepting their allotted track,

Surging and urging all around,

As against the reef they pound,

Causing brief echoes to resound,

Challenging the cold unyielding stone

Bleached like an effortless old bone.

And again the offered boast

Bursts upon the rock-bound coast,

In the waves of empty spray

Borne upon the wasteful wind away.