Sea—Verging into the world-vision.
Here on this shore—as prophets are, of course, doing elsewhere—we are putting our feet on the rock and looking out over the waters and into the skys. With San Diego, which is even nearer to the canal, our whole coast is peculiarly susceptible to world thought at this time. And the people who come here may forever after have an outward and upward look in their lives.
Much has been written concerning the flowers, hills and climate of California, but at this time, when the world is looking toward our coast, would that more writers would reveal the thoughts that have been inspired in their minds by the sight of our great Western sea.
The prose-poem itself is a denial of the thought that the Pacific is a monotonous calm—an appreciation both of its storms and serenity written after several visits to the beach in which both moods were displayed. The first three verses, the prelude, describe the impression made by the movement of the boisterous sea landward, upon the observor when first arriving at the shore.
OUR PACIFIC SEA
The raging of our sea!
The defiant roar of its attack on rock, cliff and shore,
Spreads the contagion of a mighty courage,
Springing from the resolute deep.
* * * * *
The voices from our sea!
Like an unending processional stealing on the soul from the double blue afar,
The eternal bass of nature's choir,
A power-inspiring undertone from profundity.
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