Charles Baudelaire
Palaeoarchaean / Man and the Sea
Free man, you shall forever cherish the ocean
The sea is your mirror, you contemplate your soul
In its eternal waves that chafe and roll
Your mind's abyss is bitter as the sea

Both of you live in darkness and in mystery
Man, who has ever plumbed the depths of your being?
O Sea, who knows your hidden riches
Seeing the secrets you preserve so jealously?

You love to plunge into your image down to the core
Embracing it with eyes and arms, your very heart
Sometimes finds a distraction from its urgent smart
In the wild ocean's untamable roar

Both of you live in darkness and in mystery
Man, who has ever plumbed the depths of your being?
O Sea, who knows your hidden riches
Seeing the secrets you preserve so jealously?

And yet for countless ages you have fought each other
With hands unsparing and with unforbearing breath
Each an eternal foe unto his relentless brother
So avid are you both of slaughter and of death

Man and the sea
Man and the sea
Man and the sea
Man and the sea
Eternal wrestlers! Man and Sea
Unrelenting twins! Man and Sea
You have fought each other! Man and Sea
With unforbearing breath! Man and Sea
Eternal wrestlers! Man and Sea
Unrelenting twins! Man and Sea
Each an eternal foe unto his brother! Man and Sea
So avid are you both of fight and death