Lydia Huntley Sigourney (01 Sep 1791 – 10 Jun 1865 | Norwich CT – Hartford CT) poet, critic, children’s writer, girls’ school founder, autobiographical author, aka The Sweet Singer of Hartford.

Parting: not of the boisterous wave, not of the tempest’s power, where truant the hearts

come back to be forgiven, where soft touches move with thrill unspeakable, as woke the

hallowed day, with snowy sails & favoring gales, our ship pursued her way: volcanic light

gilds the night. Trusting child: the good ship o’er the Ocean glides on where skies are

bright, & rolling waves propel her homeward flight as blast and tempest rush. Go, muse,

beside the sea, where white-winged navies ride, its highest pulse is beating free, strong

mysterious tides. Homeward bound: hail, distant mountain! rearing dim o’er my loved

land, thy lofty head; welcome is thy sight to those so long by chart & compass led. The

Prophet’s vision: Temple gates where bright Orients glow’d, fast by th’ altar’s hallow’d

wooden base, uncharted waters like crystals flow – merging specks mid ocean’s foam.

Sigourney, Lydia Howard Huntley. Poems for the Sea. Hartford: H. S. Parsons & Co., 1850. https://archive.org/details/poemsforsea00sigo/page/152/mode/1up