Poems and Translations from the Ancient Celtic Bards

TO THE SEA.

O ever changing, faithless: untrustworthy or unpredictable Sea!
When thou putt’st off tranquillity: calmness and peace—
When peace and beauty are estranged: distanced or turned away,
And thy mild aspect darkly changed,
To revel: to take great pleasure or delight, often in a boisterous way in a deadly hour
Thou dost awake thy wrathful power,—
O then, oppressed: weighed down or burdened by every care,
How wretched is the mariner: a sailor or seafarer!

When darkening clouds are low’ring: looking dark and threatening nigh,
And rising winds impetuous: moving with great force and speed fly,
The seaman dreads thy coming wrath;
Then, fearful of his dangerous path,
Would only seek a friendly shore
To rest him till thy fit: a sudden, violent outburst or period of activity passed o’er;
Then track: to sail or travel over thy bosom: a poetic term for the surface or depths of the sea o’er again,
Give thee his love, and thine regain.

Though guiltless of a crime ’gainst thee,
Though trusting thy fidelity: faithfulness and loyalty—
In hour of dread to thee confined
A friendly shore he may not find;
For thou, to have his purpose stay’d: his goals or progress stopped,
Wilt ruthless summon to thine aid
The bursting winds that wander nigh,
Obedient to thy revelry: wild and noisy celebration! The poem concludes by personifying the storm as a cruel celebration of the sea's power, where the ocean deliberately calls upon the wind to trap the sailor, regardless of his innocence or previous devotion.