A Song for All Seas, All Ships
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Behold, the sea itself And on its limitless, heaving breast, the ships; See, where their white sails, bellying in the wind, speckle the green and blue See, the steamers coming and going, steaming in or out of port See, dusky and undulating, the long pennants of smoke To-day a rude brief recitative Of ships sailing the seas, each with its special flag or ship-signal Of unnamed heroes in the ships—of waves spreading and spreading far as the eye can reach Of dashing spray, and the winds piping and blowing And out of these a chant for the sailors of all nations Fitful, like a surge Of sea-captains young or old, and the mates, and of all intrepid sailors Of the few, very choice, taciturn, whom fate can never surprise nor death dismay Pick'd sparingly without noise by thee old ocean, chosen by thee Thou sea that pickest and cullest the race in time, and unitest nations Suckled by thee, old husky nurse, embodying thee Indomitable, untamed as thee. ... Flaunt out O sea your separate flags of nations! Flaunt out visible as ever the various ship-signals! But do you reserve especially for yourself and for the soul of man one flag above all the rest A spiritual woven signal for all nations, emblem of man elate above death Token of all brave captains and all intrepid sailors and mates And all that went down doing their duty Reminiscent of them, twined from all intrepid captains young or old A pennant universal, subtly waving all time, o'er all brave sailors One flag, one flag above all the rest Behold, the sea itself And on its limitless heaving breast, the ships All seas, all ships
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Credits
- Writers
- Ralph Vaughan Williams
- Walt Whitman