Lo! mighty giant of the noiseless tread,
That serpent-like sweeps ever to the main,
And joyous most when most inflicting pain,
Inspiring all with thoughts of constant dread.
Now lording high, now bending low thy head,
For that thou, too, must stoop at times, 'tis plain,
And cringe till waning fountains shall again
Have all thy greedy, shrinking bulk refed.
And yet, unconquerable to the last,
Retaining all thy matchless subtilety.
And, lo! a polypus thou hast surpassed
In readjusting thine anatomy,
And, hydra-like, with all thy mouths so vast,
Hissing defiance at the threat'ning sea!
