The Sea-Limits

Gabriel Dante Rossetti’s lyric poem “The Sea-Limits” concludes the Songs section of a larger collection, The House of Life. Originally entitled “At Boulogne. Upon the Cliffs: Noon.,” it dates from 1849, when the poet traveled to France and Belgium. This remarkable, early poem takes as its subject the unity of being, a concept central to Rossetti’s belief that the spirit inherent in all creatures is joined. A meditation on nature, it uses clever formal and sonic devices to enhance the poet’s commentary. The undulating rhythm of its iambic tetrameter mimics the imagery of waves pounding the cliffs. I was drawn to this poem by its vivid sound world that inspired my setting, which paints Rossetti’s imagery in impressionistic colors awash with piano resonance. “The Sea-Limits” was written for tenor Patrick McGill, a dear friend who first introduced me to the poem.