Anon the boom of the minute-gun Rang low through the breezes' roar, And the lifeboat plunged through the plunging foam, And a lantern from the shore Showed Jack at the stern with his rough brave hand Clutching the strong stroke-oar. Steady!" he cried. "Head her, my lads, Where the thundering billows break; Out where the red lamps blaze, my boys: Let the broken sea boil in our wake; And save him, save him, save him, lads, For Gertrude Marmion's sake!" And the maiden prayed: "O Father, thou Go with them through the deep; O thou, And guide them home, and bring-oh, bring— "The lights on the ship-look, look!" she cried They are dying one by one; No more across the wild storm comes They have reached the ship-they have Brave souls, well done!" Ho! how the foam flew all around In his arms she lay. "At last, true heart, We have met for evermore." White lilies stand, graceful and still, in the Ah! life seems a tender and rapturous Here under the willows this sweet summer day, Pale sunbeams are gliding about through the And I'd be content, with my love for comhollow panion, Still on glides our boat o'er the shimmering To make it sure. Of all God made upright river; Each heart with the other in unison beats, While through the green willows the cool zephyrs shiver And in their nostrils breathed a living soul, Most fallen, most prone, most earthy, most debased; Of all that sold eternity for time, And bear to us burdens of odorous sweets. None bargained on so easy terms with death. |