Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE BATTLE OF THE BIGHT (NAVAL ACTION IN THE BIGHT OF HELIGOLAND), by WILLIAM WATSON



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE BATTLE OF THE BIGHT (NAVAL ACTION IN THE BIGHT OF HELIGOLAND), by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: As rose the misty sun
Last Line: Nor have they shamed their sire.
Alternate Author Name(s): Watson, John William
Subject(s): Helgoland Bight, Battle Of; Sea Battles; World War I; Naval Warfare; First World War


AS rose the misty sun,
Our men the North Sea scanned,
And each rejoicing gun
Welcomed a foe at hand,
And longed, from thunderous throat,
To sound for all afloat
The world-awakening note
The world can understand.

For ev'n as birds of night,
Hoary and tawny owl,
Do sometimes brave the light,
Like bolder, nobler fowl,
So did the foe that day
Come venturing forth for prey, --
Yonder, in goodly array,
On ocean foam to prowl.

But brief and plain, 'mid men
Not born to yield or flee,
Our cannon spoke out then
The speech that keeps us free,
And battered, with hoarse boom,
Four warships to their doom,
While one, to a lonelier tomb,
Fled blazing down the sea.

Sleep on, O Drake, sleep well,
In days not wholly dire!
Grenville, whom nought could quell,
Unquenched is still thy fire.
And thou that hadst no peer,
Nelson, thou need'st not fear!
Thy sons and heirs are here,
Nor have they shamed their sire.





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