Against the enormous rocks of a rough coast <br />The ocean rams itself in pitched assault <br />And spastic rage to which there is no halt; <br />Foam-white brigades collapse; but the huge host <br /> <br />Has infinite reserves; at each attack <br />The impassive cliffs look down in gray disdain <br />At scenes of sacrifice, unrelieved pain, <br />Figured in froth, aquamarine and black. <br /> <br />Something in the blood-chemistry of life, <br />Unspeakable, impressive, undeterred, <br />Expresses itself without needing a word <br />In this sea-crazed Empedoclean Strife. <br /> <br />It is a scene of unmatched melancholy, <br />Weather of misery, cloud cover of distress, <br />To which there are not witnesses, unless <br />One counts the briny, tough and thorned sea holly.<br /><br />Anthony Evan Hecht<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/witness/
