Children dear, were we long alone? 
“The sea grows stormy, the little ones moan; 65
Long prayers,” I said, “in the world they say;
Come!” I said; and we rose through the surf in the bay. 
We went up the beach, by the sandy down
Where the sea-stocks bloom, to the white-wall’d town;
Through the narrow paved streets, where all was still, 70
To the little grey church on the windy hill. 
From the church came a murmur of folk at their prayers,
But we stood without in the cold blowing airs. 
We climb’d on the graves, on the stones worn with rains,
And we gazed up the aisle through the small leaded panes. 75
She sate by the pillar; we saw her clear: 
“Margaret, hist! come quick, we are here! 
Dear heart,” I said, “we are long alone;
The sea grows stormy, the little ones moan.” 
But, ah, she gave me never a look, 80
For her eyes were seal’d deg. to the holy book! deg.81
Loud prays the priest; shut stands the door. 
Come away, children, call no more! 
Come away, come down, call no more!

Down, down, down! 85
Down to the depths of the sea! 
She sits at her wheel in the humming town,
Singing most joyfully. 
Hark what she sings:  “O joy, O joy,
For the humming street, and the child with its toy! 90
For the priest, and the bell, and the holy well;
For the wheel where I spun,
And the blessed light of the sun deg.!” deg.93
And so she sings her fill,
Singing most joyfully, 95
Till the spindle drops from her hand,
And the whizzing wheel stands still. 
She steals to the window, and looks at the sand,
And over the sand at the sea;
And her eyes are set in a stare; 100
And anon there breaks a sigh,
And anon there drops a tear,
From a sorrow-clouded eye,
And a heart sorrow-laden,
A long, long sigh; 105
For the cold strange eyes of a little Mermaiden
And the gleam of her golden hair.

Come away, away, children;
Come children, come down! 
The hoarse wind blows coldly; 110
Lights shine in the town. 
She will start from her slumber
When gusts shake the door;
She will hear the winds howling,
Will hear the waves roar. 115
We shall see, while above us
The waves roar and whirl,
A ceiling of amber,
A pavement of pearl. 
Singing:  “Here came a mortal, 120
But faithless was she! 
And alone dwell for ever
The kings of the sea.”