Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs By Walter Thornbury. Illustrated by J. Whistler, F. Walker, John Tenniel, J. D. Watson, W. Small, F. Sandys, G. J. Pinwell, T. Morten, M. J. Lawless, and many others |
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Land in Sight! Home at Last!
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 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
Land in Sight! Home at Last!
I
The laughing sea rolls blue and free,And on every face there is joy and glee;
For the west wind harps, in the rigging, soft,
And the broad white canvas, that's spread aloft,
Strains fuller now to the homeward wind;
And even the sea-bird's left behind,
As the ship cleaves faster the crimson wave,
In the sunset red as a warrior's grave.
II
“Land in sight!” and “Home at last!”That is the cry that spreads so fast;
And they fancy already they hear the bells
Ringing from distant Cornish dells.
Soon, soon the granite cliffs will rise
To cheer the longing and straining eyes;
Once past yon burning sunset line,
They'll see the English headlands shine.
III
The sea grows greener every hour,The deep keel ploughs with a keener power;
The dusk is spreading its shroud of gloom,
And night, like the lid of a pond'rous tomb,
Falls slow; but the laugh and the song rise up
As the bubbles spring in a champagne-cup;
For there in the east the magnet star
Of a lighthouse is welcoming them from far.
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IV
Sleep, brave men, sleep, for home is near;Sleep, mothers, sleep, without dream of fear;
Sleep, children, sleep, for the sea's at rest,
Rocking you all to its fost'ring breast:
The ship so staunch and true and strong,
With the tyrant sea has battled long.
In an hour the loud cry, “Shell and sand!”
Will tell the advent of the land.
V
Night spreads its canopy of starsHigh o'er the good ship's swaying spars—
Halcyon night, with its balm to all;
Soft, sweet night with its drowsy pall.
Already the scent of the new-mown hay
Breathes from the meadow-land far away;
And Hope brings dreams of happier time,
Of changeless joy, and a sunnier clime.
VI
The land's in sight—that glimpse of the moonDisclosed the nearest headland; soon
The church-tower on the cliff will show—
When yon dark cloud away shall blow.
Plough faster, ship; they pine for rest;
Hast thou a heart within thy breast?
Swifter, then, swifter thy homeward flight,
To that long low line of glimmering white.
VII
What scream was that?—that anguish startsFrom bleeding and from breaking hearts.
A blue smoke oozes from the hold,
Brave cheeks grow pale, and hearts grow cold;
See, broad flames from the port-holes leap,
Keen flames along the cordage creep—
Soon the tall masts are lapped in fire,
Fanned by the winds the flames mount higher.
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VIII
Red flows the sea as the fierce flame blows,The inky cloud all crimson grows.
Loud ring their shrieks, as the only boat
With half-crazed women is set afloat;
And now swift jets of smoke and fire
From the blazing vessel the winds waft higher;
And the wreck floats on o'er the glowing wave,
Of all within her the burning grave.
IX
Men on the cliffs, looking out to sea—A pale and shuddering company—
See, as the wind shifts to the west,
A floating light on the ocean-crest;
And then a frame with thick ribs charred—
A floating furnace, with timbers barred;
And within this red-hot basket-cage
A fierce fire white with a quenchless rage.
X
To leeward a cloud of crimson spread,Fair over the dying and the dead,
A cloud all starred with sparks that fast
From the wreck in burning showers are cast.
Slowly again night's pitying pall
Spreads o'er the sea and the high cliff wall;
And those who are saved from the fire and waves
Kneel and pray to the God who saves.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |