Round the cape of a sudden came the sea,
And the sun looked over the mountain's rim:
And straight was a path of gold for him,
And the need of a world of men for me.
The prequal “Meeting at Night” opens with a sea journey, as does this poem. It begins abruptly, appropriate to someone who has woken up and started a journey, aware of a purpose to his day. 
 The phrase “of a sudden” is an archaic construction meaning “suddenly”, no longer used today. 
 A “cape” is a projection of land joined to a larger land mass.
Parting at Morning