Songs of the Sea - Poetry Dedicated to the Mayflower Voyage

Various

• Publisher: Ragged Hand - Read & Co.
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781528717588
• eBook ISBN: 9781528790697
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Early American History
• Index: Literature

"Songs of the Sea - Poetry Dedicated to the Mayflower Voyage" is a collection of poetry by various poets, including James Russell Lowell, Greenleaf Whittier, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and others. The poems all concern the 'Mayflower', an English ship that transported early Pilgrims to the New World in 1620. Contents include: "The Mayflower", "Pilgrim Song, by Florence Earle Coates", "The Sailing of the May Flower, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow", "On Lending a Punch-Bowl, by Oliver Wendell Holmes", "Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, by Felicia Dorothea Hemans", "The Message, by George Edward Woodberry", "The Mayflowers, by John Greenleaf Whittier", etc. A fantastic collection not to be missed by poetry lovers with an interest in early American history.

THE SAILING OF
THE MAY FLOWER

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Just in the gray of the dawn, as the mists uprose from the meadows,

There was a stir and a sound in the slumbering village of Plymouth;

Clanging and clicking of arms, and the order imperative, "Forward!"

Given in tone suppressed, a tramp of feet, and then silence.

Figures ten, in the mist, marched slowly out of the village.

Standish the stalwart it was, with eight of his valorous army,

Led by their Indian guide, by Hobomok, friend of the white men,

Northward marching to quell the sudden revolt of the savage.

Giants they seemed in the mist, or the mighty men of King David;

Giants in heart they were, who believed in God and the Bible,—

Ay, who believed in the smiting of Midianites and Philistines.

Over them gleamed far off the crimson banners of morning;

Under them loud on the sands, the serried billows, advancing,

Fired along the line, and in regular order retreated.

Many a mile had they marched, when at length the village of Plymouth

Woke from its sleep, and arose, intent on its manifold labors.

Sweet was the air and soft; and slowly the smoke from the chimneys

Rose over roofs of thatch, and pointed steadily eastward;

Men came forth from the doors, and paused and talked of the weather,

Said that the wind had changed, and was blowing fair for the Mayflower;

Talked of their Captain's departure, and all the dangers that menaced,

He being gone, the town, and what should be done in his absence.

Merrily sang the birds, and the tender voices of women

Consecrated with hymns the common cares of the household.

Out of the sea rose the sun, and the billows rejoiced at his coming;

Beautiful were his feet on the purple tops of the mountains;

Beautiful on the sails of the Mayflower riding at anchor,

Battered and blackened and worn by all the storms of the winter.

Loosely against her masts was hanging and flapping her canvas,

Rent by so many gales, and patched by the hands of the sailors.

Suddenly from her side, as the sun rose over the ocean,

Darted a puff of smoke, and floated seaward; anon rang

Loud over field and forest the cannon's roar, and the echoes

Heard and repeated the sound, the signal-gun of departure!

Ah! but with louder echoes replied the hearts of the people!

Meekly, in voices subdued, the chapter was read from the Bible,

Meekly the prayer was begun, but ended in fervent entreaty!

Then from their houses in haste came forth the Pilgrims of Plymouth,

Men and women and children, all hurrying down to the sea-shore,

Eager, with tearful eyes, to say farewell to the Mayflower,

Homeward bound o'er the sea, and leaving them here in the desert.

Foremost among them was Alden. All night he had lain without slumber,

Turning and tossing about in the heat and unrest of his fever....

Table of contents

• THE MAYFLOWER
• PILGRIM SONG
• THE SAILING OF THE MAY FLOWER
• ON LENDING A PUNCH-BOWL
• LANDING OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS
• THE MESSAGE
• THE MAYFLOWERS
• THE PRESENT CRISIS
• BIBLIOGRAPHY