The Lotos Eaters

First published in 1833, but when republished in 1842 the alterationsin the way of excision, alteration, and addition were very extensive.The text of 1842 is practically the final text.

“Courage!” he said, and pointed toward the land,“This mounting wave will roll us shoreward soon.”In the afternoon they came unto a land,In which it seemed always afternoon.All round the coast the languid air did swoon,Breathing like one that hath a weary dream.Full-faced above the valley stood the moon;And like a downward smoke, the slender streamAlong the cliff to fall and pause and fall did seem.

A land of streams! some, like a downward smoke,Slow-dropping veils of thinnest lawn, did go;And some thro’ wavering lights and shadows broke,Rolling a slumbrous sheet of foam below.They saw the gleaming river seaward flowFrom the inner land: far off, three mountain-tops,Three silent pinnacles of aged snow,Stood sunset-flush’d: and, dew’d with showery drops,Up-clomb the shadowy pine above the woven copse.

The charmed sunset linger’d low adownIn the red West: thro’ mountain clefts the daleWas seen far inland, and the yellow downBorder’d with palm, and many a winding valeAnd meadow, set with slender galingale;A land where all things always seem’d the same!And round about the keel with faces pale,Dark faces pale against that rosy flame,The mild-eyed melancholy Lotos-eaters came.

Branches they bore of that enchanted stem,Laden with flower and fruit, whereof they gaveTo each, but whoso did receive of them,And taste, to him the gushing of the waveFar far away did seem to mourn and raveOn alien shores; and if his fellow spake,His voice was thin, as voices from the grave;And deep-asleep he seem’d, yet all awake,And music in his ears his beating heart did make.

They sat them down upon the yellow sand,Between the sun and moon upon the shore;And sweet it was to dream of Father-land,Of child, and wife, and slave; but evermoreMost weary seem’d the sea, weary the oar,Weary the wandering fields of barren foam.Then some one said, “We will return no more”;And all at once they sang, “Our island homeIs far beyond the wave; we will no longer roam”.