Along the quay, the great ships,
that ride the swell in silence,
take no notice of the cradles.
that the hands of the women rock.
But the day of farewells will come,
when the women must weep,
and curious men are tempted
towards the horizons that lure them!
And that day the great ships,
sailing away from the diminishing port,
feel their bulk held back
by the spirits of the distant cradles.
Back to Sully Prudhomme
Get a free collection of Classic Poetry ↓
To be able to leave a comment here you must be registered. Log in or Sign up.
Comments1WOW, THIS POEM REALLY HIT ME HARD! IT'S LIKE A BEAUTIFUL SAD SONG ABOUT LIFE AND ADVENTURE, YET ALSO MELANCHOLY AND LONGING. YOU CAN REALLY FEAL THT TENSION BETWEEN COMFORT AND THE DESIRE TO EXPLORE NEW HORIZONS. GOSH, IT REMINDED ME OF LEAVING HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME. SO TOUCHING AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING.