 | Miscellaneous Poems |  |
23
On a Naval Officer buried in the Atlantic
There is, in the wide lone sea,
A spot unmarked, but holy;
For there the gallant and the free
In his ocean bed lies lowly.
A spot unmarked, but holy;
For there the gallant and the free
In his ocean bed lies lowly.
Down, down, within the deep,
That oft to triumph bore him,
He sleeps a sound and pleasant sleep,
With the salt waves washing o'er him.
That oft to triumph bore him,
He sleeps a sound and pleasant sleep,
With the salt waves washing o'er him.
He sleeps serene, and safe
From tempest or from billow,
Where the storms, that high above him chafe,
Scarce rock his peaceful pillow.
From tempest or from billow,
Where the storms, that high above him chafe,
Scarce rock his peaceful pillow.
24
The sea and him in death
They did not dare to sever:
It was his home while he had breath;
'Tis now his rest for ever.
They did not dare to sever:
It was his home while he had breath;
'Tis now his rest for ever.
Sleep on, thou mighty dead!
A glorious tomb they 've found thee.
The broad blue sky above thee spread,
The boundless waters round thee.
A glorious tomb they 've found thee.
The broad blue sky above thee spread,
The boundless waters round thee.
No vulgar foot treads here;
No hand profane shall move thee;
But gallant fleets shall proudly steer,
And warriors shout, above thee.
No hand profane shall move thee;
But gallant fleets shall proudly steer,
And warriors shout, above thee.
And when the last trump shall sound,
And tombs are asunder riven,
Like the morning sun from the wave thou'lt bound,
To rise and shine in heaven.
And tombs are asunder riven,
Like the morning sun from the wave thou'lt bound,
To rise and shine in heaven.
| Miscellaneous Poems | |