Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SAILOR WHO SERVED IN THE SLAVE-TRADE, by ROBERT SOUTHEY Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: He stopt, -- it surely was a groan Last Line: O god, deliver me! Subject(s): Forgiveness; Murder; Prayer; Regret; Sailing & Sailors; Shame; Slavery; Violence; Clemency; Serfs | ||||||||
HE stopt, ... it surely was a groan That from the hovel came! He stopt and listened anxiously, Again it sounds the same. From yonder hovel sure it came, ... And now he hastens there, And thence he hears the name of Christ Amid a broken prayer. And entering in the outhouse then, A sailor there he sees, His hands were lifted up to Heaven, And he was on his knees. Nor did the sailor so intent His entering footsteps heed, But now the Lord's prayer said, and now His half-forgotten creed. And often on his Saviour call'd With many a bitter groan, And in such anguish as could spring From deepest guilt alone. He ask'd the miserable man Why he was kneeling there, And what the crime had been that caus'd The anguish of his prayer. Oh, I have done a cursed thing! It haunts me night and day, And I have sought this lonely place Here undisturb'd to pray. I have no place to pray on board, So I came here alone, That I might freely kneel and pray, And call on Christ and groan. If to the main-mast head I go, The wicked one is there, From place to place, from rope to rope, He follows everywhere. I shut my eyes, ... it matters not ... Still still the same I see, ... And when I lie me down at night, 'Tis always day with me. He follows, follows everywhere, And every place is hell! O God ... and I must go with him In endless fire to dwell. He follows, follows everywhere, He's still above ... below, Oh tell me where to fly from him! Oh tell me where to go! But tell me, quoth the stranger then, What this thy crime hath been, So haply I may comfort give To one that grieves for sin. Oh I have done a cursed deed! The wretched man replies, And night and day, and everywhere, 'Tis still before my eyes. I sail'd on board a Guinea-man And to the slave-coast went; Would that the sea had swallowed me When I was innocent! And we took in our cargo there, Three hundred negro slaves, And we sail'd homeward merrily Over the ocean waves. But some were sulky of the slaves And would not touch their meat, So therefore we were forced by threats And blows to make them eat. One woman, sulkier than the rest, Would still refuse her food, ... O Jesus God! I hear her cries ... I see her in her blood! The captain made me tie her up, And flog while he stood by, And then he curs'd me if I staid My hand to hear her cry. She groan'd, she shriek'd ... I could not spare, For the captain he stood by ... Dear God! that I might rest one night From that poor woman's cry. She twisted from the blowsher blood, Her mangled flesh I see And still the captain would not spare Oh, he was worse than me! She could not be more glad than I When she was taken down, A blessed minute! 'twas the last That I have ever known! I did not close my eyes all night Thinking what I had done; I heard her groans, and they grew faint, About the rising sun. She groan'd and groan'd, but her groans grew Fainter at morning tide, Fainter and fainter still they came, Till at the noon she died. They flung her overboard;poor wretch! She rested from her pain, But whenO Christ! O blessed God! Shall I have rest again! I saw the sea close over her, Yet she is still in sight; I see her twisting everywhere I see her day and night. Go where I will, do what I can, The wicked one I see Dear Christ, have mercy on my soul, O God, deliver me! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JOY IN THE WOODS by CLAUDE MCKAY ELIZABETH KECKLEY: 30 YEARS A SLAVE AND 4 YEARS IN THE WHITE HOUSE by E. ETHELBERT MILLER EMANCIPATION by ELIZABETH ALEXANDER JOHN BROWN'S BODY by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET BISHOP BRUNO by ROBERT SOUTHEY |
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