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 | Leaves of grass. |  |
3.
1 ABOARD, at the ship's helm,
A young steersman, steering with care.
2 A bell through fog on a sea-coast dolefully ringing,
An ocean-bell — O a warning bell, rock'd by the waves.
3 O you give good notice indeed, you bell by the sea- reefs ringing,
Ringing, ringing, to warn the ship from its wreck- place.
4 For, as on the alert, O steersman, you mind the bell's admonition,
The bows turn, — the freighted ship, tacking, speeds away under her gray sails,
The beautiful and noble ship, with all her precious wealth, speeds away gaily and safe.
5 But O the ship, the immortal ship! O ship aboard the ship!
O ship of the body — ship of the soul — voyaging, voy- aging, voyaging.
A young steersman, steering with care.
2 A bell through fog on a sea-coast dolefully ringing,
An ocean-bell — O a warning bell, rock'd by the waves.
3 O you give good notice indeed, you bell by the sea- reefs ringing,
Ringing, ringing, to warn the ship from its wreck- place.
4 For, as on the alert, O steersman, you mind the bell's admonition,
The bows turn, — the freighted ship, tacking, speeds away under her gray sails,
The beautiful and noble ship, with all her precious wealth, speeds away gaily and safe.
5 But O the ship, the immortal ship! O ship aboard the ship!
O ship of the body — ship of the soul — voyaging, voy- aging, voyaging.
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| Leaves of grass. | |