“Genoa” [poem]
Genoa
Now rouse thee ho. For Genoa straight
We did not for the dawning wait
The stars shone pale on Novis Gate, 1
And on the airy Apennine
Whose towery steeps, with morn elate,
Lay southward in a lengthened line
And we knew, and we knew, and we knew
That from Elba to the Alps 2 oer the seas broad blue a
Where the wild waves wander, and white ripples shine
Looked the cloudy crest of the tall Apennine
From the Torrents barren bed,
Bound by blocks of granite red,
Came the gay Cicadas song
Wheresoeer the dew was dank,
On the tree, the shrub the bank,
All our scorching road along
Came the gay Cicadas song, 3
While beside our path was seen
Of various trees a vista green, b
Into a streamlet looking down
Whose living crystal shot between
A little space of time
And think how wide the world must be
Across from pole to pole
When ‸
When first he saw the living deep,
With panting bosom, crimson shot,
Call its soothed billows from their sleep, c
That shout The mo
When far away to seaward show. d
Her first beams solitary glow. e
Thou lovedst to be where seabirds dwelt
To wander on the weary beach
Just on the line the wild waves reach,
Or watch the petrels flit before
The marching tempests warning roar.
And ocean eagles dark and proud,
And white winged ospreys skim the cloud
And if thou neer hast felt as if
The ocean had a mind
When broad black waves before it roll —
I would not think thou hadst a soul.
We did not for the dawning wait
The stars shone pale on Novis Gate, 1
And on the airy Apennine
Ruskin's line number
1380Whose towery steeps, with morn elate,
System generated line number
5Lay southward in a lengthened line
And we knew, and we knew, and we knew
That from Elba to the Alps 2 oer the seas broad blue a
Where the wild waves wander, and white ripples shine
Ruskin's line number
1385Looked the cloudy crest of the tall Apennine
System generated line number
10From the Torrents barren bed,
Bound by blocks of granite red,
Came the gay Cicadas song
Wheresoeer the dew was dank,
Ruskin's line number
1390On the tree, the shrub the bank,
System generated line number
15All our scorching road along
Came the gay Cicadas song, 3
While beside our path was seen
Of various trees a vista green, b
Ruskin's line number
1395Into a streamlet looking down
System generated line number
20Whose living crystal shot between
Ruskin's line number
50A little space of time
And think how wide the world must be
Across from pole to pole
When ‸
all
that there you look upon
Ruskin's line number
× 80
System generated line number
25Oh
And is there one remembers notWhen first he saw the living deep,
With panting bosom, crimson shot,
Call its soothed billows from their sleep, c
That shout The mo
r
a
n, from steep to steep.
Ruskin's line number
1400
System generated line number
30When far away to seaward show. d
Her first beams solitary glow. e
W
T
hoeʼr thou art, who hast not feltThou lovedst to be where seabirds dwelt
To wander on the weary beach
Ruskin's line number
1405
System generated line number
35Just on the line the wild waves reach,
Or watch the petrels flit before
The marching tempests warning roar.
And ocean eagles dark and proud,
And white winged ospreys skim the cloud
Ruskin's line number
1410
System generated line number
40And if thou neer hast felt as if
The ocean had a mind
Nor
And
held communion with the deepNor
And
converse with the windWhen broad black waves before it roll —
Ruskin's line number
1415
System generated line number
45I would not think thou hadst a soul.