| The breaking waves dashed high |
| On a stern and rock-bound coast, |
| And the woods against a stormy sky |
| Their giant branches tossed; |
| |
| And the heavy night hung dark |
| The hills and waters o'er, |
| When a band of exiles moored their bark |
| On the wild New England shore. |
| |
| Not as the conqueror comes, |
| They, the true-hearted, came,— |
| Not with the roll of the stirring drums, |
| And the trumpet that sings of fame; |
| |
| Not as the flying come, |
| In silence and in fear; |
| They shook the depths of the desert's gloom |
| With their hymns of lofty cheer. |
| |
| Amidst the storms they sang; |
| And the stars heard, and the sea; |
| And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang |
| To the anthem of the free. |
| |
| The ocean eagle soared |
| From his nest by the white wave's foam; |
| And the rocking pines of the forest roared— |
| This was their welcome home! |
| |
| There were men with hoary hair |
| Amidst that pilgrim band: |
| Why had they come to wither there |
| Away from their childhood's land? |
| |
| There was woman's fearless eye, |
| Lit by her deep love's truth; |
| There was manhood's brow serenely high, |
| And the fiery heart of youth. |
| |
| What sought they thus afar? |
| Bright jewels of the mine? |
| The wealth of seas, the spoils of war?— |
| They sought a faith's pure shrine. |
| |
| Ay, call it holy ground,— |
| The soil where first they trod! |
| They have left unstained what there they found— |
| Freedom to worship God! |
| |
| Felicia Hemans. |
| "Marie, will you marry me? |
| For you know how I love thee! |
| Tell me, darling, will you be |
| The wife of Bobby Shaftoe?" |
| |
| "Bobby, pray don't ask me more, |
| For you've asked me twice before; |
| Let us be good friends, no more, |
| No more, Bobby Shaftoe." |
| |
| "If you will not marry me, |
| I will go away to sea; |
| And you ne'er again shall be |
| A friend of Bobby Shaftoe." |
| |
| "Oh, you will not go away |
| For you've said so twice to-day. |
| Stop! He's gone! Dear Bobby, stay! |
| Dearest Bobby Shaftoe! |
| |
| "Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea, |
| Silver buckles on his knee, |
| But he'll come back and marry me, |
| Pretty Bobby Shaftoe. |
| |
| "He will soon come back to me, |
| And how happy I shall be, |
| He'll come back and marry me, |
| Dearest Bobby Shaftoe." |
| |
| "Bobby Shaftoe's lost at sea, |
| He cannot come back to thee. |
| And you ne'er again will see |
| Your dear Bobby Shaftoe. |
| |
| "Oh, we sadly mourn for thee, |
| And regret we ne'er shall see |
| Our friend Bobby, true and free, |
| Dearest Bobby Shaftoe." |
| |
| "Bobby Shaftoe's lost at sea. |
| And can ne'er come back to me, |
| But I'll ever faithful be, |
| True to Bobby Shaftoe." |
| |
| "Darling, I've come home from sea, |
| I've come back to marry thee, |
| For I know you're true to me, |
| True to Bobby Shaftoe." |
| |
| "Yes, I always cared for thee, |
| And now you've come back to me, |
| And we will always happy be, |
| Dearest Bobby Shaftoe." |
| |
| "Bobby Shaftoe's come from sea, |
| And we will united be, |
| Heart and hand in unity, |
| Mr. and Mrs. Shaftoe." |