Beggars of the Sea

The beggars of the sea are coming tonight,

Dipping in black waves and black sky.

Once they came off Key West-

Our ship fled away in silence,

Dip of prow and stern,

While the moon

Moved to a black casket

Hanging from the clouds.

I saw the beggars coming up-

A black blade in the waves,

Two blades in the sky:

Suddenly in the moonlight

One was drowned, cried wildly-

The moon was almost gone.

"The wind screeches," I said;

"There are no gulls at night."

But a woman laughed in scorn,

"Its the beggar gulls!"

She felt no beauty, nor knew

The sorcery the sea weaves

With its slow upheaval to the moon.

I heard that bitter cry again,

Bent to it with a pagan's soul

Worshipping the old mystery;

And then, in the moonrise,

I threw her softly to the sea.

The beggars of the sea are coming tonight-

Will they ask alms of me?