(4 May 1749 – 28 October 1806 / London)

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Sonnet LXVI: The Night-Flood Rakes

The night-flood rakes upon the stony shore;
Along the rugged cliffs and chalky caves
Mourns the hoarse Ocean, seeming to deplore
All that are buried in his restless waves—
Mined by corrosive tides, the hollow rock
Falls prone, and rushing from its turfy height,
Shakes the broad beach with long-resounding shock,
Loud thundering on the ear of sullen Night;
Above the desolate and stormy deep,
Gleams the wan Moon, by floating mist opprest;
Yet here while youth, and health, and labour sleep,
Alone I wander—Calm untroubled rest,
"Nature's soft nurse," deserts the sigh-swoln breast,
And shuns the eyes, that only wake to weep!

Submitted: Friday, January 03, 2003


Read poems about / on: beach, ocean, nature, moon, sleep, alone, night, sonnet

Comments about this poem (Sonnet LXVI: The Night-Flood Rakes by Charlotte Smith )

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  • Thyris Taylor (2/22/2012 11:27:00 PM)

    Powerful imagery, and stirs the emoitions. Loved it.

    3 person liked.
    0 person did not like.
  • Jasjiv Singh (2/22/2012 4:47:00 PM)

    Shows how in touch with nature were the poets back then. Beautiful description! I also liked the rhyming style (abab cdcd efefef) , akin to how Shakespeare wrote. To me it seems the poet has put in extra effort when it is rhymed.

    3 person liked.
    0 person did not like.
  • Ramesh T A (2/22/2012 1:56:00 AM)

    Nature and man in harmony immerse grief with a sigh of relief as the waves of sea do on a night poet knows pretty well to say in this beautiful sonnet!

    3 person liked.
    1 person did not like.
  • Dijon Noble (2/22/2012 12:36:00 AM)

    I enjoyed this poem, very eloquent

    4 person liked.
    2 person did not like.
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