The Salt Sea-Wind by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The poem explores the theme of nostalgia and longing for a past love that has been lost. The speaker describes the sea-wind as a messenger from the past, bringing memories of a beloved who has departed. The wind whispers secrets in the speaker's ear, reminding them of the joy and sorrow they once shared with this person.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1882 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Mythology · 188 words
First lines
When Venus, mother and maker of blisses, / Rose out of the billows, large-limbed, and fair, / She stood on the sands and blew sweet kisses / To the salt sea-wind as she dried her hair.
And the salt sea-wind was the first to caress her / To praise her beauty and call her sweet, / The first of the whole wide world to possess her, / She, that creature of light and heat.
Though the sea is old with its sorrows and angers, / And the world has forgotten why love was born, / Yet the salt sea-wind is full of the languors / That Venus taught on her natal morn.
What this Textopian page supports
The Salt Sea-Wind is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1882 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1882 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Mythology, Nature, Philosophy
- Length: 188 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Salt Sea-Wind by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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Genres
- Poetry — The text is written in verse form with a focus on rhythm and meter.
- Romance — The themes revolve around love, beauty, and emotional connection.
- Mythology — The narrative references Venus, a figure from Roman mythology, and her origins.
- Nature — The setting and imagery are heavily influenced by natural elements like the sea and wind.
Tags
Poetry · Romance · Nature · Sea · Wind · Imagery · Symbolism · Love · Longing · Melancholy · Nostalgia · Beauty