Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE SILENT TOWER OF BOTTREAU, by ROBERT STEPHEN HAWKER Poet's Biography First Line: Tintadgel bells ring o'er the tide Last Line: Come to thy god at last!' Alternate Author Name(s): Hawker Of Morwenstow; Hawker, R. S. Subject(s): Disasters; Shipwrecks | ||||||||
Tintadgel bells ring o'er the tide, The boy leans on his vessel's side; He hears that sound, and dreams of home Soothe the wild orphan of the foam. 'Come to thy God in time!' Thus saith their pealing chime: 'Youth, manhood, old age past, Come to thy God at last.' But why are Bottreaux' echoes still? Her Tower stands proudly on the hill; Yet the strange chough that home hath found, The lamb lies sleeping on the ground. 'Come to thy God in time!' Should be her answering chime: 'Come to thy God at last!' Should echo on the blast. The ship rode down with courses free, The daughter of a distant sea: Her sheet was loose, her anchor stored, The merry Bottreaux bells on board. 'Come to thy God in time!' Rung out Tintadgel chime: 'Youth, manhood, old age past, Come to thy God at last!' The pilot heard his native bells Hang on the breeze in fitful swells; 'Thank God!' with reverent brow he cried, 'We'll make the shore with evening's tide.' 'Come to thy God in time!' It was his marriage chime: 'Youth, manhood, old age past,' His bell must ring at last. 'Thank God, thou whining knave! on land, But thank, at sea, the steersman's hand' -- The captain's voice above the gale -- 'Thank the good ship and ready sail.' 'Come to thy God in time!' Sad grew the boding chime: 'Come to thy God at last!' Boomed heavy on the blast. Uprose the sea! as if it heard The mighty Master's signal-word: What thrills the captain's whitening lip? The death-groans of his sinking ship. 'Come to thy God in time!' Swung deep the funeral chime: 'Grace, mercy, kindness past, Come to thy God at last!' Long did the rescued pilot tell -- When grey hairs o'er his forehead fell, While those around would hear and weep -- That fearful judgment of the deep. 'Come to thy God in time!' He read his native chime: 'Youth, manhood, old age past,' His bell rang out at last. Still when the storm of Bottreaux' waves Is wakening in his weedy caves: Those bells, that sullen surges hide, Peal their deep notes beneath the tide: 'Come to thy God in time!' Thus saith the ocean chime: 'Storm, billow, whirlwind past, Come to thy God at last!' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE WRECK OF THE THRESHER by WILLIAM MEREDITH EX-VOTO FOR A SHIPWRECK by AIME CESAIRE CAESAR'S LOST TRANSPORT SHIPS by ROBERT FROST AFTER THE SHIPWRECK by ALICIA SUSKIN OSTRIKER DEATH'S JEST-BOOK: SIBYLLA'S DIRGE by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES ON THE LOSS OF THE ROYAL GEORGE by WILLIAM COWPER A CHRIST-CROSS RHYME by ROBERT STEPHEN HAWKER |
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