The Life of a Ship

Excerpt

Oh! I love the great blue ocean,
    I love the whistling breeze,
When the gallant ship sweeps lightly
    Across the surging seas.
I watched my first ship building;
    I saw her timbers rise,
Until her masts were towering
    Up in the bright blue skies.

I heard the cheers ascending,
    I saw her kiss the foam,
When first her hull went plunging
    Into her ocean home.
Her flags were gaily streaming,
    And her sails were full and round,
When the shout from shore came ringing,
    “Hurrah! for the Outward-bound!”

But, alas! ere long a tempest
    Came down with awful roar
And dashed our ship in pieces
    Upon a foreign shore.
But He who holds the waters
    In His almighty hand,
Brought all the sailors safely
    Back to their native land.