Classic and Contemporary Poetry
READY, by PHOEBE CARY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Loaded with gallant soldiers Last Line: Who was fitter to die than he! Subject(s): African Americans - Military; American Civil War; Sailing & Sailors; United States - History; Seamen; Sails | ||||||||
LOADED with gallant soldiers, A boat shot in to the land, And lay at the right of Rodman's Point, With her keel upon the sand. lightly, gayly, they came to shore, And never a man afraid; When sudden the enemy opened fire, From his deadly ambuscade. Each man fell flat on the bottom Of the boat; and the captain said: "If we lie here, we all are captured, And the first who moves is dead!" Then out spoke a negro sailor, No slavish soul had he: "Somebody's got to die, boys, And it might as well be me!" Firmly he rose, and fearlessly Stepped out into the tide; He pushed the vessel safely off, Then fell across her side: Fell, pierced by a dozen bullets, As the boat swung clear and free; -- But there was n't a man of them that day Who was fitter to die than he! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SAILS OF MURMUR by ANSELM HOLLO THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE TOM BOWLING ['S EPITAPH] by CHARLES DIBDIN HOW'S MY BOY? by SYDNEY THOMPSON DOBELL LOVE AT SEA by THEOPHILE GAUTIER A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND by PHOEBE CARY |
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