StoryTitle("caps", "The Sands of Dee") ?>
have often had the pleasure of riding across the coast from
Chester, England, to Rhyl, on the north coast of Wales, where
stretch "The Sands of Dee" (Charles Kingsley, 1819-75). These purple
sands at low tide stretch off into the sea miles away, and are said to
be full of quicksands."
PoemStart() ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"O Mary, go and call the cattle home,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L4", "", "And call the cattle home,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L4", "", "And call the cattle home,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Across the sands of Dee.\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The western wind was wild and dark with foam", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And all alone went she.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The western tide crept up along the sand,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L4", "", "And o'er and o'er the sand,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L4", "", "And round and round the sand,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "As far as eye could see.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The rolling mist came down and hid the land;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And never home came she.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Oh! is it weed, or fish, or floating hair,—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L4", "", "A tress of golden hair,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L4", "", "A drownèd maiden's hair,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Above the nets at sea?", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Was never salmon yet that shone so fair", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Among the stakes on Dee.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "They rowed her in across the rolling foam,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L4", "", "The cruel crawling foam,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L4", "", "The cruel hungry foam,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "To her grave beside the sea.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But still the boatmen hear her call the cattle home", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Across the sands of Dee.", "") ?>
PoemAttribution("100", SmallCapsText("Charles Kingsley.")) ?>
PoemEnd() ?>