Page:A child's own book of verse, (Vol. 3) (IA childsownbookofv03skin).pdf/22

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AN OLD SONG RE-SUNG

I saw a ship a-sailing, a-sailing, a-sailing,
With emeralds and rubies and sapphires in her hold ;
And a bosun in a blue coat bawling at the railing,
Piping through a silver call that had a chain of gold ;
The summer wind was failing and the tall ship rolled.

I saw a ship a-steering, a-steering, a-steering,
With roses in red thread worked up in her sails ;
With sacks of purple amethysts, the spoils of buccaneering,
Skins and musky yellow wine, and silks in bales,
Her merry men were cheering, hauling on the brails.
John Masefield.

ROBERT OF LINCOLN


Merrily swinging on brier and weed,

Near to the nest of his little dame,
Over the mountain-side or mead,
Robert of Lincoln is telling his name:
“Bob-o’-link, bob-o’-link,
Spink, spank, spink;
Snug and safe is that nest of ours,
Hidden among the summer flowers,
Chee, chee, chee!”

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