The Sea- Child

Into the world you sent her, mother,

    Fashioned her body of coral and foam,

Combed a wave in her hair's warm smother,

    And drove her away from home

In the dark of the night she crept to the town

    And under a doorway she laid her down,

The little blue child in the foam-fringed gown.

And never a sister and never a brother

    To hear her call, to answer her cry.

Her face shone out from her hair's warm smother

    Like a moonkin up in the sky.

She sold her corals; she sold her foam;

    Her rainbow heart like a singing shell

Broke in her body: she crept back home.

Peace, go back to the world, my daughter,

    Daughter, go back to the darkling land;

There is nothing here but sad sea water,

    And a handful of sifting sand.