University of Virginia Library

Life's Voyage.

The ship all trimmed, and ballast, leaves the shore,
Intent old ocean's bosom to sail o'er;
Her gallant master at the helm stands—
The crew obedient to his stern commands.
The sea is calm, most beauteous smiles the day,
And gentle zephyrs waft her on her way;
No clouds o'ercast the clear blue vaulted sky,
And nautalus in tiny craft glide by.
Behold yon speck advancing far a west,
Now gently heaves old ocean's purturbed breast,
Now swiftly rolls on waves the gallant craft,
And stiffer breezes greet her sails abaft.
Loud and more loud the winds now howl and blow,
Higher, and higher till waves like mountains grow,
Till tempest tossed the ship. All hands now dread
To meet far far from shore the wave's death bed.
The storm is o'er, back to their deep dark caves,
Old Neptune calls his angry mountain waves,
And mariners now chant a cheerful lay,
Quite thoughtless that e'er peril crossed their way.
And thus life's dream embarks on mirrored sea.
With cloudless sky, and with a sailor's glee,
Till tempest clouds her sanguine hopes now dash,
And waves of trouble round her bulwarks wash.
When sunny rays dispel the gloomy blast,
In present joy she oft forgets the past;
And thus part smiles, part tears, part cloud, part ray,
Compose life's cheerful, happy, gloomy day.