![]() |
Classic and Contemporary Poetry
YE PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND (AMERICAN TEXT) (1), by ANONYMOUS First Line: "ye parliament of england, / you lords and commons too" Last Line: That yankee ships in time of peace / to any sport may trade Subject(s): Navy - United States;sailing & Sailors;war Of 1812; American Navy | |||
YE parliament of England, You lords and commons, too, Consider well what you're about, And what you're going to do; You're now to fight with Yankees, I'm sure you'll rue the day You roused the sons of liberty, In North America. You first confined our commerce, And said our ships shan't trade, You next impressed our seamen, And used them as your slaves; You then insulted Rogers, While ploughing o'er the main, And had not we declared war, You'd have done it o'er again. You thought our frigates were but few And Yankees could not fight, Until brave Hull your Guerriere took And banished her from your sight. The Wasp then took your Frolic, We'll nothing say to that, The Poictiers being of the line, Of course she took her back. The next, your Macedonian, No finer ship could swim, Decatur took her gilt-work off, And then he sent her in. The Java, by a Yankee ship Was sunk, you all must know; The Peacock fine, in all her plume, By Lawrence down did go. Then next you sent your Boxer, To box us all about, But we had an Enterprising brig That beat your Boxer out; We boxed her up to Portland, And moored her off the town, To show the sons of liberty The Boxer of renown. The next upon Lake Erie, Where Perry had some fun, You own he beat your naval force, And caused them for to run; This was to you a sore defeat, The like ne'er known before -- Your British squadron beat complete -- Some took, some run ashore. There's Rogers in the President, Will burn, sink, and destroy; The Congress, on the Brazil coast, Your commerce will annoy; The Essex, in the South Seas, Will put out all your lights, The flag she waves at her mast-head -- "Free Trade and Sailor's Rights." Lament, ye sons of Britain, Far distant is the day, When you'll regain by British force What you've lost in America; Go tell your king and parliament, By all the world 't is known, That British force, by sea and land, By Yankees is o'erthrown. Use every endeavor, And strive to make a peace, For Yankee ships are building fast, Their navy to increase; They will enforce their commerce, The laws by heaven are made, That Yankee ships in time of peace To any port may trade. | 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 TIS A LITTLE JOURNEY by ANONYMOUS |
|