THE ROYAL MARINER.

CANTO I.

THE STORM.

Ye spirits of the storm, my verse inspire!"

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B

- FALCONER.

THE STORM.

CANTO 1.

I.

I SING the gallant hearts of oak-
The fearless and the free:

And my soul grows strong,
As I weave my song

By the surge of the sounding sea!

On the ever warring elements

I call with uplifted brow:

Be the song of the seas,

And the wild, wild breeze,

My harp and my glory now! 1

Shine forth, and awake! tempestuous lyre! And the bard of the storm shall sing,

Then, along! along! thou stately bark,

With all thy gallant crew;

The arm that saved the glorious ark,
Will guard thy bulwarks too.

A mermaid from the coral caves
Of ocean's crystal sprung;
And sporting o'er the silver waves,
Thus sweet and wildly sung:

"A ship! a ship upon the tide !
A blue flag in the sky!

Awake! my sister Nymphs! the pride
Of ocean's sailing by.

"All hail !-blow, gentle breezes, blow!

And fill the swelling sail;

Ye billows in wild music flow
Beneath the summer gale!

"Whose stately bark is this we've seen So often stem the wave;

Mount o'er the bursting billows green,—

The hottest battles brave?

"Whose gallant tars are those who nail

Their blood-red flags so fast, That neither foe, nor war, nor gale,

Can tear them from the mast?