Listening to the sea

The beach at Jesolo in Italy is covered in shells

The moon shining on the Mediterranean sea

My poem for the day is about the pleasure to be had listening to the sea. The sound of the sea is so calming and soothing that you often find it on those cds that are meant to help you relax. I'm sure most of us have at some time held a shell to our ears convinced that the swooshing sound is the sea. My mum of course made this a magical and solemn experience. We would hold shells to pur ears and hear the sound the sea makes. 'That is the sea' she would say. 'The shell carries it with her.' Oh it was wonderful to believe we could hear the sea that was so many miles away, just standing in our back garden and holding the shell to our ear. Here's what William Wordsworth (1770-1850) had to say about it.

I have seen

A curious child, who dwelt upon a tract

Of inland ground, applying to his ear

The convulutions of a smooth-lipped shell:

To which, in silence hushed, his very soul

Listened intensely; and his countenance soon

Brightened with joy, for from within were heard

Murmurings, whereby the monitor expressed

Mysterious union with its native sea.

Even such a shell the universe itself

Is to the ear of faith.