The Shrouded Islands
Something deep hidden in me grew to love
Those bare volcanoes, those unquiet skies;
The clinging clouds and sea fogs; the surprise
Of sunshine and the misted moon that strove
To light the lonesome bays.
With blended sadness
And joy I thrilled to watch the blowing rain
And vapor blur the hills; to hear the strain
The sea wind sang or cried as if in madness.
Something in me wakened which no reason
Can ever touch, no voice can ever tame;
Something that found in each Aleutian season
A kindred waywardness.
I cannot name
The dark wild spirit, old as it is young,
That loved those islands I was long among.
Courtland W. Matthews
Courtland W. Matthews was a young naval ensign stationed on Atka Island during World War II.
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