Nights On The Indian Ocean

Nights on the Indian Ocean, Long nights of moon and foam, When silvery Venus low in the sky Follows the sun home. Long nights when the mild monsoon Is breaking south-by-west, And when soft clouds and the singing shrouds Make all that is seem best.

Nights on the Indian Ocean, Long nights of space and dream, When silent Sirius round the Pole Swings on, with steady gleam; When oft the pushing prow Seems pressing where before No prow has ever pressed--or shall From hence forevermore.

Nights on the Indian Ocean, Long nights--with land at last, Dim land, dissolving the long sea-spell Into a sudden past-- That seems as far away As this our life shall seem When under the shadow of death's shore We drop its ended dream.