Poems (Gould, 1833)/The Ship is Ready

​
THE SHIP IS READY.
Fare thee well! the ship is ready,And the breeze is fresh and steady.Hands are fast the anchor weighing;High in the air the streamer 's playing.Spread the sails—the waves are swellingProudly round thy buoyant dwelling,Fare thee well! and when at sea,Think of those, who sigh for thee.
When from land and home receding,And from hearts, that ache to bleeding,Think of those behind, who love thee,While the sun is bright above thee!Then, as down to ocean glancing,With the waves his rays are dancing,Think how long the night will beTo the eyes, that weep for thee.
When the lonely night-watch keeping,All below thee still and sleeping—As the needle points the quarterO'er the wide and trackless water,Let thy vigils ever find theeMindful of the friends behind thee!Let thy bosom's magnet beTurned to those, who wake for thee!
​
When, with slow and gentle motionHeaves the bosom of the ocean—While in peace thy bark is riding,And the silver moon is glidingO'er the sky with tranquil splendor,Where the shining hosts attend her;Let the brightest visions beCountry, home and friends, to thee!
When the tempest hovers o'er thee,Danger, wreck, and death before thee,While the sword of fire is gleaming,Wild the winds, the torrent streaming,Then, a pious suppliant bending,Let thy thoughts to heaven ascendingReach the mercy seat, to beMet by prayers that rise for thee!
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.