The Old Captain Dream

Night and day night n day now eating his bread and slops a quiet demented dreaming dreams of sea and soft skies But how big the seas of thought run still in the captain's sleep Pacific now ship cabin of sleep rocked to the sea beat in his ears Over what blue whaled waves does he sail in a rainbow hail of flying-fishes he can still see the ocean from his bed where he now lies Dreaming still of clashing cymbals an eastern sumptuous court Sultans with voices fiercer than any visiting modern preacher Lying he there now till the sky goes out and the sea stops He hears distinctly insistent over the slow-speaking sea The voices of time blown up to me