English poem
He stood by the Atlantic’s shore
by Oliver Herford (1863–1935)
He stood by the Atlantic’s shore, And crossed the azure main, And even the sea, so blue before, About his wake grew dark and bore The semblance of a stain.
On English soil he scarcely more Than paused his breath to gain; But on that fair historic shore There seemed to gather, as before, A darkness in his train.
Through sunny France, across the line To Germany, and up the Rhine To Switzerland he came; Then o’er the snowy Alpine height, To leave a stain as black as night On Italy’s fair name.
From Italy he crossed the blue, And hurried on as if he knew His journey’s end he neared. On Darkest Africa he threw A shade of even darker hue, Till in the sands of Timbuctoo His record disappeared.