The Sailor’s Song.
With steady ray the cold moonshine1
Is slumbering on the shoreless brine ;2
The pendant, curling in the breeze,3
Sweeps onward thro’ the foamy seas.—4
Where’er I roam,5
Beloved girl ! my wandering mind6
Reverts an eye to times behind,7
And thee at home !8
When brooding tempests gather o’er9
The heaving sea, without a shore ;10
As night descends upon the deep,11
And howl the giant winds, and sweep12
With awful power—13
I think how happy I could be,14
At home, or—anywhere with thee,15
At any hour !16
When storms are soften’d to repose,17
And Ocean’s breast no ripple knows ;18
When, weeping o’er expiring day,19
Shines in the south, with holy ray,20
The Evening-star ;21
With ecstasy I gaze, and turn22
To long-departed days, and burn23
For thee afar !24
Blow strong, blow steady, welcome breeze !25
And bear us thro’ the weary seas ;26
Until before our wistful eyes27
The azure hills of Albyn rise—28
My native grove,29
In all its summer-pride I see,30
The elm-o’ershaded cot, and thee,31
My life !— my love ! !32