A mile behind is Gloucester town 
Where the fishing fleets put in, 
A mile ahead the land dips down 
And the woods and farms begin. 
Here, where the moors stretch free 
In the high blue afternoon, 
Are the marching sun and talking sea, 
And the racing winds that wheel and flee 
On the flying heels of June. 

Jill-o'er-the-ground is purple blue, 
Blue is the quaker-maid, 
The wild geranium holds its dew 
Long in the boulder's shade. 
Wax-red hangs the cup 
From the huckleberry boughs, 
In barberry bells the grey moths sup 
Or where the choke-cherry lifts high up 
Sweet bowls for their carouse. 

Over the shelf of the sandy cove 
Beach-peas blossom late. 
By copse and cliff the swallows rove 
Each calling to his mate. 
Seaward the sea-gulls go, 
And the land-birds all are here; 
That green-gold flash was a vireo, 
And yonder flame where the marsh-flags grow 
Was a scarlet tanager. 

This earth is not the steadfast place 
We landsmen build upon; 
From deep to deep she varies pace, 
And while she comes is gone. 
Beneath my feet I feel 
Her smooth bulk heave and dip; 
With velvet plunge and soft upreel 
She swings and steadies to her keel 
Like a gallant, gallant ship. 

These summer clouds she sets for sail, 
The sun is her masthead light, 
She tows the moon like a pinnace frail 
Where her phosphor wake churns bright. 
Now hid, now looming clear, 
On the face of the dangerous blue 
The star fleets tack and wheel and veer, 
But on, but on does the old earth steer 
As if her port she knew. 

God, dear God! Does she know her port, 
Though she goes so far about? 
Or blind astray, does she make her sport 
To brazen and chance it out? 
I watched when her captains passed: 
She were better captainless. 
Men in the cabin, before the mast, 
But some were reckless and some aghast, 
And some sat gorged at mess. 

By her battened hatch I leaned and caught 
Sounds from the noisome hold, -- 
Cursing and sighing of souls distraught 
And cries too sad to be told. 
Then I strove to go down and see; 
But they said, "Thou art not of us!" 
I turned to those on the deck with me 
And cried, "Give help!" But they said, "Let be: 
Our ship sails faster thus." 

Jill-o'er-the-ground is purple blue, 
Blue is the quaker-maid, 
The alder-clump where the brook comes through 
Breeds cresses in its shade. 
To be out of the moiling street 
With its swelter and its sin! 
Who has given to me this sweet, 
And given my brother dust to eat? 
And when will his wage come in? 

Scattering wide or blown in ranks, 
Yellow and white and brown, 
Boats and boats from the fishing banks 
Come home to Gloucester town. 
There is cash to purse and spend, 
There are wives to be embraced, 
Hearts to borrow and hearts to lend, 
And hearts to take and keep to the end, -- 
O little sails, make haste! 

But thou, vast outbound ship of souls, 
What harbor town for thee? 
What shapes, when thy arriving tolls, 
Shall crowd the banks to see? 
Shall all the happy shipmates then 
Stand singing brotherly? 
Or shall a haggard ruthless few 
Warp her over and bring her to, 
While the many broken souls of men 
Fester down in the slaver's pen, 
And nothing to say or do?