The Black Barge Clothed Was In Satin Red Poem by Emmanuel George Cefai

The black barge clothed was in satin red
And purple sashes fluttered in the breeze
As it sailed slowly o’er the enchanted seas:
Furtive it stole and silently and sad.

The black barge no inhabitants hath
No pilot steersman, oarsmen sailors – yet
On it sails, it sails on silently
Into the funereal seas all draped in black
The black barge clothed was in satin red.

Like a black spot across the ocean vast
The barge moves silent-slow and wearily
Seems to draw its weight by its own weight
And on it sails, it sails on silently
Into the funereal seas all draped in black.

The dawn sees it still moving wearily
When the sun shone it moved along the sea:
Dusk found it still there and the night
Enveloped its dark frown in its dark grasp
Silent the wan moon looked on and languidly:
And day did follow day and month the month
And years passed on and centuries – and yet
Like a black spot across the ocean vast
The black barge moved all wan and wearily:

And night and day and dawn and dusk
To call it sister-barge they came and said:
And time seemed there to cease to fall
Down the time-glass its sand grains wearily
And thunder lightning cold and rain and frost
To call it sister-barge they came and says
And still – like a black spot across the ocean marge
The black barge moved all wan and wearily.