Launch thy bark, mariner! Christian, God speed thee! Let loose the rudder-bands -- Good angels lead thee! Set thy sails warily, Tempests will come; Steer thy course steadily; Christian, steer home! Look to the weather-bow, Breakers are round thee; Let fall the plummet now, Shallows may ground thee. Reef in the foresail, there! Hold the helm fast! So -- let the vessel wear -- There swept the blast. "What of the night, watchman? What of the night?" "Cloudy, all quiet, No land yet -- all's right." Be wakeful, be vigilant; Danger may be At an hour when all seemeth Securest to thee. How! gains the leak so fast! Clean out the hold; Hoist up thy merchandise, Heave out thy gold; There -- let the ingots go -- Now the ship rights; Hurrah! the harbour's near, Lo! the red lights! Slacken not sail yet At inlet or island; Straight for the beacon steer, Straight for the high land; Crowd all thy canvass on, Cut through the foam: Christian! cast anchor now, Heaven is thy home! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SUMMER SHOWER by EMILY DICKINSON RENASCENCE by EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY TO MY ANTENOR, MARCH 16, 1661/2 by KATHERINE PHILIPS SONNET: POET TO POET by LOUISA SARAH BEVINGTON ON THE PORTRAIT OF A COLONEL; G.H.H. by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN JUNE'S COMING by JOHN BURROUGHS HONOUR'S APPEAL TO JUSTICE by OLIVA WARD BUSH |