[Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary | ||
AT SEA.
Brown-faced sailor, tell me true—
Our ship I fear is but illy thriving,
Some clouds are black and some are blue,
The women are huddled together below,
Above the captain treads to and fro;
Tell me, for who shall tell but you,
Whither away our ship is driving!
Our ship I fear is but illy thriving,
Some clouds are black and some are blue,
The women are huddled together below,
Above the captain treads to and fro;
Tell me, for who shall tell but you,
Whither away our ship is driving!
The wind is blowing a storm this way,
The bubbles in my face are winking—
'T is growing dark in the middle of day
And I cannot see the good green land,
Nor a ridge of rock, nor a belt of sand;
Oh, kind sailor, speak and say,
How long might a little boat be sinking?
The bubbles in my face are winking—
'T is growing dark in the middle of day
And I cannot see the good green land,
Nor a ridge of rock, nor a belt of sand;
Oh, kind sailor, speak and say,
How long might a little boat be sinking?
More saucily the bubbles wink;
God's mercy keep us from foul weather,
And from drought with nothing but brine to drink.
I dreamed of a ship with her ribs stove in,
Last night, and waking thought of my sin;
How long would a strong man swim, d' y' think,
If we were all in th' sea together?
God's mercy keep us from foul weather,
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I dreamed of a ship with her ribs stove in,
Last night, and waking thought of my sin;
How long would a strong man swim, d' y' think,
If we were all in th' sea together?
The sailor frowned a bitter frown,
And answered, “Aye, there will be foul weather,—
All men must die, and some must drown,
And there is n't water enough in the sea
To cleanse a sinner like you or me;
O Lord, the ships I 've seen go down,
Crew and captain and all together!”
And answered, “Aye, there will be foul weather,—
All men must die, and some must drown,
And there is n't water enough in the sea
To cleanse a sinner like you or me;
O Lord, the ships I 've seen go down,
Crew and captain and all together!”
The sailor smiled a smile of cheer,
And looked at me a look of wonder,
And said, as he wiped away a tear,
“Forty years I've been off the land
And God has held me safe in his hand:
He ruleth the storm—He is with us here,
And his love for us no sin can sunder.”
And looked at me a look of wonder,
And said, as he wiped away a tear,
“Forty years I've been off the land
And God has held me safe in his hand:
He ruleth the storm—He is with us here,
And his love for us no sin can sunder.”
[Poems by Cary in] The Poetical Works Of Alice and Phoebe Cary | ||