 | The complete poems of S. Weir Mitchell |  |
HERNDON
[8]
On Sept. 12, 1857, the Central America was lost at sea. Captain Herndon of the navy was in command. His tranquil courage preserved discipline up to the last, and until his passengers, officers, and crew were all in the boats. Seeing that the last boat was already overloaded, Captain Herndon refused to add to its danger, and, ordering it off, went down with his ship.
Ay, shout and rave, thou cruel sea,
In triumph o'er that fated deck,
Grown holy by another grave—
Thou hast the captain of the wreck.
In triumph o'er that fated deck,
Grown holy by another grave—
Thou hast the captain of the wreck.
285
No prayer was said, no lesson read,
O'er him, the soldier of the sea;
And yet for him, through all the land,
A thousand thoughts to-night shall be.
O'er him, the soldier of the sea;
And yet for him, through all the land,
A thousand thoughts to-night shall be.
And many an eye shall dim with tears,
And many a cheek be flushed with pride;
And men shall say, There died a man,
And boys shall learn how well he died!
And many a cheek be flushed with pride;
And men shall say, There died a man,
And boys shall learn how well he died!
Ay, weep for him, whose noble soul
Is with the God who made it great;
But weep not for so proud a death,—
We could not spare so grand a fate.
Is with the God who made it great;
But weep not for so proud a death,—
We could not spare so grand a fate.
Nor could Humanity resign
That hour which bade her heart beat high,
And blazoned Duty's stainless shield,
And set a star in Honor's sky.
That hour which bade her heart beat high,
And blazoned Duty's stainless shield,
And set a star in Honor's sky.
O dreary night! O grave of hope!
O sea, and dark, unpitying sky!
Full many a wreck these waves shall claim
Ere such another heart shall die.
O sea, and dark, unpitying sky!
Full many a wreck these waves shall claim
Ere such another heart shall die.
Alas, how can we help but mourn
When hero bosoms yield their breath!
A century itself may bear
But once the flower of such a death;
When hero bosoms yield their breath!
A century itself may bear
But once the flower of such a death;
So full of manliness, so sweet
With utmost duty nobly done;
So thronged with deeds, so filled with life,
As though with death that life begun.
With utmost duty nobly done;
So thronged with deeds, so filled with life,
As though with death that life begun.
286
It has begun, true gentleman!
No better life we ask for thee;
Thy Viking soul and woman heart
Forever shall a beacon be,—
No better life we ask for thee;
Thy Viking soul and woman heart
Forever shall a beacon be,—
A starry thought to eager souls,
To teach it is not best to live;
To show that life has naught to match
Such knighthood as the grave can give.
To teach it is not best to live;
To show that life has naught to match
Such knighthood as the grave can give.
1857.
| The complete poems of S. Weir Mitchell | |