I dwell in the western inland, <br /> Afar from the sounding sea, <br />But I seem to hear it sobbing <br /> And calling aloud to me, <br />And my heart cries out for the ocean <br /> As a child for its mother's breast, <br />And I long to lie on its waters <br /> And be lulled in its arms to rest. <br /> <br />I can close my eyes and fancy <br /> That I hear its mighty roar, <br />And I see its blue waves splashing <br /> And plunging against the shore; <br />And the white foam caps the billow, <br /> And the sea-gulls wheel and cry, <br />And the cool wild wind is blowing, <br /> And the ships go sailing by. <br /> <br />Oh, wonderful, mighty ocean! <br /> When shall I ever stand, <br />Where my heart has gone already, <br /> There on thy gleaming strand! <br />When shall I ever wander <br /> Away from the inland west, <br />And strand by thy side, dear ocean, <br /> And rock on thy heaving breast?<br /><br />Ella Wheeler Wilcox<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/when/
