Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, DEWEY AND HIS MEN, by WALLACE RICE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

DEWEY AND HIS MEN, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Glistering high in the midnight sky
Last Line: And the wildfire lights as dewey fights on the broad manila bay.
Alternate Author Name(s): Groot, Cecil De
Subject(s): Dewey, George (1837-1917); Manila, Philippines; Spanish-american War (1898)


GLISTERING high in the midnight sky the starry rockets soar
To crown the height so soon to be uncrowned, Corregidor;
And moaning into the middle night resounds the answering shock
From Fraile's island battery within the living rock;
Like Farragut before him, so Dewey down the bay,
Past fort and mine, in single line, holds on toward Cavite.

When the earth was new a raven flew o'er the sea on a perilous quest,
By his broad black pinions buoyed up as he sought him a spot to rest;
So to-day from British China sweeps our Commodore 'mid the cheers
Of England's dauntless ships of steel, and into the night he steers,
With never a home but the furrowy foam and never a place for ease
Save the place he'll win by the dint and din of his long,
lean batteries.

A misty dawn on the May-day shone, yet the enemy sees afar
On our ships-of-war great flags flung out as bright as the
morning star;
Then the cannon of Spain crash over the main and their
splendor flecks the ports
As the crackling thunder rolls along the frowning fleet and forts;
But the Olympia in her majesty leads up the broadening bay
And behind her come gaunt ships and dumb toward crested Cavite.

All pearl and rose the dawnlight glows, and ruddy and gray the gloom
Of battle over their squadron sinks as we sweep like a vast simoom:
When our broadsides flash and ring at last -- in a
hoarsening, staggering crush
On the arsenal and fleet in wrath our lurid lightnings rush.
Malate knows us, Cavite, Canacoa crazed with hate;
But Corregidor shall speak no more, El Fraile fears his fate.

Montojo fights as fought the knights by the Cid Campeador;
He leaves his flagship all afire, the Cuba takes him o'er
The Don Antonio roars and fumes, the Austria lights and lifts;
From Sangley to Manila Mole the battle vapor drifts;
But the Queen Christine in one great blast dies as becomes her name,
Her funeral shroud a pillar of cloud all filagreed with flame.

From peak to peak our quick flags speak, the rattling chorus ends;
And cheer on cheer rolls over the sea at the word the signal sends.
From Commodore to powder-boy, from bridge to stoker's den,
No battle rips have found our ships, nor wounds nor death our men.
We cheer and rest, we rest and cheer; and ever above the tides
The flag that knows no conquering foes in newer glory rides.

When the reek of war is rolled afar by the breezes down the bay
We turn our deadly guns again on the walls of Cavite.
The Spaniard dreamed of victory -- his final hope is flown
As winged destruction up and down our batteries have strown --
In horrid havoc, red and black, the storm throbs on amain
Till in the glare of carnage there fade all the flags of Spain.

In old Madrid sad eyes are hid for an empire sore bestead:
Manila's mad with misery, Havana sick with dread,
As the great bells toll each gallant soul Castile shall see no more,
Toll Fraile's rock a thing for sport, toll lost Corregidor --
Spain's fortresses are fluttering with banners blanched and pale;
Her admiralty in agony lies shattered, steam and sail.

And the home we sought was cheaply bought, for no mother,
wife, nor maid
From Maine to Loma Point bewails the lad for whom she prayed;
Now everywhere, from Florida to the blue Vancouver Straits,
The flag we've flown abroad is thrown, and a word of cheer awaits.
The ships and men that never failed the nation from her birth
Have done again all ships and men may do upon this earth.

Glistering high in the noontide sky the starry banners soar
To crown anew the height so soon uncrowned, Corregidor.
They bring the promise of the free to Philip's jewelled isles,
And hearts oppressed thrill hard with hope whene'er that
promise smiles;
For the spirit of Old Ironsides broods o'er that tropic day
And the wildfire lights as Dewey fights on the broad Manila Bay.





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