Page:Songs, Legends, and Ballads.djvu/78

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SONGS, LEGENDS, AND BALLADS.

"A. kneeling man on a frozen bill,

The sounds of life in the air—

All death and ice—and a minute before

The sea and the ship were there!

I could not think they were dead and gone.

And I listened for sound or word:

But the deep sea roar on the desolate shore

Was the only sound I heard.

mates, I had no heart to thank

The Lord for the life He gave;

I spread my arms on the ice and cried

Aloud on my shipmates' grave.

The brave strong lads, with their strength all vain,

I called them name by name;

And it seemed to me from the dying hearts

A message upward came—

Ay, mates, a message, up through the ice

From every sailor's breast:

'Go tell our mothers and wives at home

To pray for us here at rest.'