BENEATH Odessa's foreland, Washed by the Russian wave, Shattered and black an English ship Rots in her sandy grave. The sea-shell elogs her cannon, The sea-worm eats her oak, And the sea-weeds dank cling to the plank Whence English thunders spoke. Behind Odessa's foreland, Under the Russian sky, That noble vessel's noble chief In bloody grave doth lie. Not bravely in fair battle Cut down upon his deck, But driving lost on an iron coast, And shot on a helpless wreck. Unto Odessa's foreland Who comes for vengeance due? A legion bold in steel and gold, -- A fleet with seamen true! O, shame! no sworn avengers, But a gentle lady there, Sitting alone by an uncarved stone Weeping her wifely tear. O black Odessan foreland, Only his widow there! O lonely, lonely sepulchre, Only one falling tear! Why roars no rage of cannon? Why rings no levelled gun? With sword and spear, not sigh and tear, England should mourn her son. She to that fatal foreland Came o'er the stormy wave; Shall women for the one they love Alone be bold and brave? How, England, will thy captains Die bravely in thy strife, When Giffard's rest no mourner blest But a woman and a wife? Far from Odessa's foreland His vessel's jack was ta'en; O for the death its champion died, Win back that flag again. Plant it with shot and sabre Above the Russian's best; And the conquering shout, as the cross flaunts out, Shall bring him better rest. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE LOVE SONNETS OF PROTEUS: 112. GIBRALTAR by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT A DOUBTING HEART by ADELAIDE ANNE PROCTER OH, LOVE THOU TOO! by JOHANNA AMBROSIUS THE NEW PROSERPINE by MATHILDE BLIND GRISELDA: CHAPTER 4 by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT |