I SEND thee a shell from the ocean beach; br But listen thou well, for my shell hath speech. br Hold to thine ear, br And plain thou’lt hear br Tales of ships br That were lost in the rips, br Or that sunk on shoals br Where the bell-buoy tolls, br And ever and ever its iron tongue rolls br In a ceaseless lament for the poor lost souls. br br And a song of the sea br Has my shell for thee; br The melody in it br Was hummed at Wauwinet, br And caught at Coatue br By the gull that flew br Outside to the ship with its perishing crew. br But the white wings wave br Where none may save, br And there ’s never a stone to mark a grave. br br See, its sad heart bleeds br For the sailors’ needs; br But it bleeds again br For more mortal pain, br More sorrow and woe, br Than is theirs who go br With shuddering eyes and whitening lips br Down in the sea on their shattered ships.