Sea Lullaby Poem by Elinor Morton Wylie

Sea Lullaby

Rating: 4.5


The old moon is tarnished
With smoke of the flood,
The dead leaves are varnished
With colour like blood.

A treacherous smiler
With teeth white as milk,
A savage beguiler
In sheathings of silk

The sea creeps to pillage,
She leaps on her prey;
A child of the village
Was murdered today.

She came up to meet him
In a smooth golden cloak,
She choked him and beat him
to death, for a joke.

Her bright locks were tangled,
She shouted for joy
With one hand she strangled
A strong little boy.

Now in silence she lingers
Beside him all night
To wash her long fingers
In silvery light.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Terry Craddock 16 October 2014

Wow a 'Sea Lullaby' where the sea lures us in, the reader with the light of the moon upon reflective waters, lures a small boy in with a smooth golden cloak then choked him and beat him/ to death, for a joke. The personification of the sea as bright locks... tangled, (as) She shouted for joy/ With one hand she strangled/ A strong little boy illuminates a savage glee in claiming the life of a small child. From the opening two stanzas The old moon is tarnished With smoke of the flood, The dead leaves are varnished With colour like blood. A treacherous smiler With teeth white as milk, A savage beguiler In sheathings of silk to the turn and vicious entrapment of prey like a spider leaping upon a fly in a web The sea creeps to pillage, She leaps on her prey; A child of the village Was murdered today. the poem lures us in with a bewildering choice of themes and visual images. The last lines add other dimensions with the eerie beauty of in the concluding lines Now in silence she lingers Beside him all night To wash her long fingers In silvery light.

14 2 Reply
Terence George Craddock 20 February 2024

I wrote the poem 'Chill Cold Deadly Hunting Predator', inspired by the poem 'Sea Lullaby', by the poet Elinor Morton Wylie and dedicated to Elinor Morton Wylie.

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Karen Sinclair 16 October 2012

Beautiful in its reflective nature, and gentle simplicity...i love the visuals lain down by words of a lady with a wonderful imagination....

8 3 Reply
Mc Donald 16 October 2012

Inspired. You should check mine.

5 6 Reply
Aimee Pruitt 24 February 2008

I LOVE this poem! I will never look at the sea the same again.

8 2 Reply
Mac Che 30 January 2023

Now in silence she lingers Beside him all night To wash her long fingers In silvery light. ~~~ Love it

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MAHTAB BANGALEE 30 January 2023

The sea creeps to pillage, She leaps on her prey; A child of the village Was murdered today. ~ just excellent poetic writings; enjoyable too; great sea lullaby

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Alem Hailu G/kristos 30 July 2017

A nicely penned piece I appreciate the creative art!

1 0 Reply
Alem Hailu G/kristos 30 July 2017

I appreciate the creative art it is superb.

1 2 Reply
Terry Craddock 02 January 2017

Walk Warm Water Lull Tide Beaches walk tantalizing lull in the tide peace is wave rocked into souls walk warm wave womb sands Copyright © Terence George Craddock Inspired by the poem 'Sea Lullaby' by the poet Elinor Morton Wylie. Dedicated to the poet Elinor Morton Wylie.

5 1 Reply
Elinor Morton Wylie

Elinor Morton Wylie

Somerville, New Jersey
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