Page:Poems, new and old (IA poemsnewold00newb).pdf/17

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

POEMS: NEW AND OLD

Songs of the Fleet

I

Sailing at Dawn

One by one the pale stars die before the day now,One by one the great ships are stirring from their sleep,Cables all are rumbling, anchors all a-weigh now,Now the fleet's a fleet again, gliding towards the deep.
Now the fleet's a fleet again, bound upon the old ways,Splendour of the past comes shining in the spray;Admirals of old time, bring us on the bold ways!Souls of all the sea-dogs, lead the line to-day!
Far away behind us town and tower are dwindling,Home becomes a fair dream faded long ago;Infinitely glorious the height of heaven is kindling,Infinitely desolate the shoreless sea below.
Now the fleet's a fleet again, bound upon the old ways,Splendour of the past comes shining in the spray;Admirals of old time, bring us on the bold ways!Souls of all the sea-dogs, lead the line to-day!
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.