Poetry Archives

Merrily shouted all the sailors
  As they left the town behind;
Merrily shouted they and gladdened
  At the slip-slap of the wind.
But envious were those faint home-keepers,
  Faint land-lovers, as they saw
How the Glory dipped and staggered—
          Envying saw
Pass the ship while all her sailors
          Merrily shouted.

Far and far on eastern waters
  Sailed the ship and yet sailed on,
While the townsmen, faint land-lovers,
  Thought, “How long is’t now she’s gone?
Now, maybe, Bombay she touches,
  Now strange craft about her throng”;
Till she grew but half-remembered,
          Gone so long:
Quite forgot how all her sailors
          Merrily shouted.

Far in unfamiliar waters
  Ship and shipmen harbourage found,
Where the rocks creep out like robbers
  After travellers tempest-bound.
Then those faint land-lovers murmured
  Doleful thanks not dead were they:—
Ah, yet envious, though the Glory
          Sunken lay,
Hearing again those farewell voices
          Merrily shouting.