Lyrics A Sea Symphony: IV. The Explorers - Ralph Vaughan Williams
O
vast
Rondure,
swimming
in
space,
Cover'd
all
over
with
visible
power
and
beauty,
Alternate
light
and
day
and
the
teeming
spiritual
darkness,
Unspeakable
high
processions
of
sun
and
moon
and
countless
stars
above,
Below,
the
manifold
grass
and
waters,
animals,
mountains,
trees,
With
inscrutable
purpose,
some
hidden
prophetic
intention,
Now
first
it
seems
my
thought
begins
to
span
thee.
Down
from
the
gardens
of
Asia
descending
radiating,
Adam
and
Eve
appear,
then
their
myriad
progeny
after
them,
Wandering,
yearning,
curious,
with
restless
explorations,
With
questionings,
baffled,
formless,
feverish,
with
never-happy
hearts,
With
that
sad
incessant
refrain,
Wherefore
unsatisfied
soul?
and
Whither
O
mocking
life?
Ah
who
shall
soothe
these
feverish
children?
Who
Justify
these
restless
explorations?
Who
speak
the
secret
of
impassive
earth?
Who
bind
it
to
us?
what
is
this
separate
Nature
so
unnatural?
What
is
this
earth
to
our
affections?
(unloving
earth,
without
a
throb
to
answer
ours,
Cold
earth,
the
place
of
graves.)
Yet
soul
be
sure
the
first
intent
remains,
and
shall
be
carried
out,
Perhaps
even
now
the
time
has
arrived.
After
the
seas
are
all
cross'd,
(as
they
seem
already
cross'd,)
After
the
great
captains
and
engineers
have
accomplish'd
their
work,
After
the
noble
inventors,
after
the
scientists,
the
chemist,
the
geologist,
ethnologist,
Finally
shall
come
the
poet
worthy
that
name,
The
true
son
of
God
shall
come
singing
his
songs.
O
we
can
wait
no
longer,
We
too
take
ship
O
soul,
Joyous
we
too
launch
out
on
trackless
seas,
Fearless
for
unknown
shores
on
waves
of
ecstasy
to
sail,
Amid
the
wafting
winds,
(thou
pressing
me
to
thee,
I
thee
to
me,
O
soul,)
Caroling
free,
singing
our
song
of
God,
Chanting
our
chant
of
pleasant
exploration.
O
soul
thou
pleasest
me,
I
thee,
Sailing
these
seas
or
on
the
hills,
or
waking
in
the
night,
Thoughts,
silent
thoughts,
of
Time
and
Space
and
Death,
like
waters
flowing,
Bear
me
indeed
as
through
the
regions
infinite,
Whose
air
I
breathe,
whose
ripples
hear,
lave
me
all
over,
Bathe
me
O
God
in
thee,
mounting
to
thee,
I
and
my
soul
to
range
in
range
of
thee.
O
Thou
transcendent,
Nameless,
the
fibre
and
the
breath,
Light
of
the
light,
shedding
forth
universes,
thou
centre
of
them.
Swiftly
I
shrivel
at
the
thought
of
God,
At
Nature
and
its
wonders,
Time
and
Space
and
Death,
But
that
I,
turning,
call
to
thee
O
soul,
thou
actual
Me,
And
lo,
thou
gently
masterest
the
orbs,
Thou
matest
Time,
smilest
content
at
Death,
And
fillest,
swellest
full
the
vastnesses
of
Space.
Greater
than
stars
or
suns,
Bounding
O
soul
thou
journeyest
forth;
Away
O
soul!
hoist
instantly
the
anchor!
Cut
the
hawsers
--
haul
out
--
shake
out
every
sail!
Reckless
O
soul,
exploring,
I
with
thee,
and
thou
with
me,
Sail
forth
--
steer
for
the
deep
waters
only,
For
we
are
bound
where
mariner
has
not
yet
dared
to
go,
And
we
will
risk
the
ship,
ourselves
and
all.
O
my
brave
soul!
O
farther
farther
sail!
O
daring
joy,
but
safe!
are
they
not
all
the
seas
of
God?
O
farther,
farther,
farther
sail!
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