Why “The Mystic Sea” is Dunbar’s Most Sensory Masterpiece
Experience the salt spray and the “scimitar” sun. Discover why Paul Laurence Dunbar looked to the horizon to find the secrets of life and death.
The Mystic Sea
Paul Laurence Dunbar
The smell of the sea in my nostrils,
The sound of the sea in mine ears;
The touch of the spray on my burning face,
Like the mist of reluctant tears.
The blue of the sky above me,
The green of the waves beneath;
The sun flashing down on a gray-white sail
Like a scimitar from its sheath.
And ever the breaking billows,
And ever the rocks’ disdain;
And ever a thrill in mine inmost heart
That my reason cannot explain.
So I say to my heart, “Be silent,
The mystery of time is here;
Death’s way will be plain when we fathom the main,
And the secret of life be clear.”
Anchored in the Unknown: A Reflection on Dunbar’s “The Mystic Sea”
In “The Mystic Sea,” Paul Laurence Dunbar captures the visceral overwhelm of the ocean—a sensory deluge of salt, spray, and color that mirrors the turbulence of the human spirit. Dunbar masterfully contrasts the physical sharpness of the “scimitar” sun with the unexplainable “thrill” in his heart. The poem suggests that the sea is a bridge between the finite and the infinite. By acknowledging that reason cannot explain the ocean’s power, Dunbar encourages us to accept the “mystery of time.” It is a reminder that some truths aren’t meant to be solved by the mind, but felt by the soul.
As you read this poem, ask yourself:
When you stand before something vast—like the ocean or a starlit sky—does the “mystery” make you feel small and afraid, or deeply connected to a larger secret?