Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE BATTLE OF MANILA; A FRAGMENT, by RICHARD HOVEY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: By cavite on the bay Last Line: Will keep and hold the sea! Subject(s): Manila, Philippines; Navy - United States; Spanish-american War (1898); War; American Navy | ||||||||
BY Cavite on the bay 'T was the Spanish squadron lay; And the red dawn was creeping O'er the city that lay sleeping To the east, like a bride, in the May. There was peace at Manila, In the May morn at Manila, -- When ho, the Spanish admiral Awoke to find our line Had passed by gray Corregidor, Had laughed at shoal and mine, And flung to the sky its banners With "Remember" for the sign! With the ships of Spain before In the shelter of the shore, And the forts on the right, They drew forward to the right, And the first was the gallant Commodore; In the bay of Manila, In the doomed bay of Manila -- With succor half the world away, No port beneath that sky, With nothing but their ships and guns And Yankee pluck to try, They had left retreat behind them, They had come to win or die! For we spoke at Manila, We said it at Manila, Oh be ye brave, or be ye strong, Ye build your ships in vain; The children of the sea queen's brood Will not give up the main; We hold the sea against the world As we held it against Spain. Be warned by Manila, Take warning by Manila, Ye may trade by land, ye may fight by land, Ye may hold the land in fee; But not go down to the sea in ships To battle with the free; For England and America Will keep and hold the sea! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...READING MY POEMS FROM WORLD WAR II by WILLIAM MEREDITH WHEN THE GREAT GRAY SHIPS COME IN [AUGUST 20, 1898] by GUY WETMORE CARRYL TOM BOWLING ['S EPITAPH] by CHARLES DIBDIN HOW WE BURNED THE 'PHILADELPHIA' by BARRETT EASTMAN BARNEY'S INVITATION by PHILIP FRENEAU ON THE MEMORABLE VICTORY OF PAUL JONES by PHILIP FRENEAU THE YANKEE PRIVATEER by ARTHUR HALE OLD IRONSIDES by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS by FRANCIS HOPKINSON |
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