Lines in Pleasant Places Rhythmics of many moods and quantities. Wise and otherwise |
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THE OLD WAR-SHIP. |
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 | Lines in Pleasant Places |  |
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THE OLD WAR-SHIP.
Resting idly at the pier,
The old war-ship, grim and drear,
Seems begging for our sympathy as we now pass her near.
The old war-ship, grim and drear,
Seems begging for our sympathy as we now pass her near.
We recall her in her pride,
As she plunged into the tide,
When the gallant Ocean, waiting, claimed her as his bride.
As she plunged into the tide,
When the gallant Ocean, waiting, claimed her as his bride.
And trim and taut she lay,
The glory of the bay,
With her energies awakening, all ready for the fray
The glory of the bay,
With her energies awakening, all ready for the fray
Up rose her taper spars,
Till they seemed amid the stars,
And at her peak gleamed forth the white and ruby bars.
Till they seemed amid the stars,
And at her peak gleamed forth the white and ruby bars.
And her batteries' grim frown
Seemed to send a challenge down
To foes who might mean ill to the old and quiet town.
Seemed to send a challenge down
To foes who might mean ill to the old and quiet town.
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And when her wings she spread,
And o'er the waves she sped,
O, many were the things of pride and hope we said.
And o'er the waves she sped,
O, many were the things of pride and hope we said.
But here she is again;
And what a change is plain,
As we recal her glories when first she braved the main!
And what a change is plain,
As we recal her glories when first she braved the main!
Her hulk is soiled and worn,
Of spars and rigging shorn,
And her batteries long since from her embrace were torn.
Of spars and rigging shorn,
And her batteries long since from her embrace were torn.
And, while resting there, we deem
That she must sadly dream
Of her olden glory lost of the ocean and the stream.
That she must sadly dream
Of her olden glory lost of the ocean and the stream.
Ah, what a dream is hers!
If every scene recurs
That has made her story famous which no recreancy blurs.
If every scene recurs
That has made her story famous which no recreancy blurs.
Her cannon's voice has spoke
Where the waves of battle broke,
And Freedom's strains were heard in the echoes she awoke.
Where the waves of battle broke,
And Freedom's strains were heard in the echoes she awoke.
Adown her sides again
The red blood flows amain,
And the splinters fly around from the showers of iron rain.
The red blood flows amain,
And the splinters fly around from the showers of iron rain.
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And while her cannons speak,
Again out from her peak
Floats the glory of her ensign that flushes every cheek.
Again out from her peak
Floats the glory of her ensign that flushes every cheek.
And we love the old ship more
For the glory given o'er,
Than when with pride we blessed her as she parted from the shore.
For the glory given o'er,
Than when with pride we blessed her as she parted from the shore.
| Lines in Pleasant Places | |