THE great gray ships come slowly in, and range beside the dock, Their plates unmarred, no gaping rents, no sign of battle-shock— Each complement as full of men as when they sought the foe, No bandaged heads upon the deck, no wounded braves below! Two years of questing, two years lost—in vain they strove to seek The whirlwind of the close attack, the battle's raging reek! And now, without a broadside loosed, across the splashing foam The great gray ships, that never fought, are sadly coming home! Like tigers baffled of their prey, like wolves whose leap has failed, The ships of steel must seek the ports whence long ago they sailed. Across the wide Atlantic's space they come—they come with deeds unwrought, The ships that never stood to arms—the ships that never fought! Yet take no shame, oh ships of steel! In grandest glory ride The tossing waves—dash through the spray—break out your flags with pride! What hope of battle's reeling crash, what hope of shattering fight, When at your far-off line of smoke the wavering foes took flight? Before the Yankee sailor's fame, before your dauntless men, The sea-wolves hurried from the waves to find some sheltering den! Behind their forts and barricades they crouched with looks aghast, While in majestic, matchless power the Yankee fleet rode past. From battle-ship to submarine, they yielded right of way, Nor dared to face our smallest boat in lightest long-range fray! And now—the great gray ships come home. They found not what they sought, And yet no stain or shame is theirs—the ships that never fought! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE EXILE'S SONG by ROBERT GILFILLAN THE LAST LEAF by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES A WORKING PARTY by SIEGFRIED SASSOON THE BREAKING POINT by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET RICH, THOUGH POOR by ALICE CARY DAISY SWAIN, THE FLOWER OF SHENANDOAH; A TALE OF THE REBELLION: 9 by JOHN M. DAGNALL |