The Christmas Ship, the Christmas Ship,
That golden ship at sea,
With pennons blue and sailors true,
A bounteous barge is she.
All fashioned by such loving thought
And piloted by prayer,
While homeless children dream at night
Of what her cargoes bear.
The Christmas Ship, the Christmas Ship,
What dollies and what dreams!
'Twould make the hardest heart expand
And burst its self-bound streams.
And, as the stockings hang in rows
Beside the blazing fire,
Bright seraphim will come at eve
And grant each child's desire.
The Christmas Ship, the Christmas Ship,
How holy it appears,
Laden with toys and endless joys
To dry these children's tears!
In that sad land where little ones
Have grown like aged men,
So weighted down with woe, but lol
The Christ-child comes again.
He's Captain of that Christmas Ship,
And Santa's at the prow;
As merrily it speeds along
Hearts will be happy now.
For love has looked in sorrow's eyes,
Child hands have bridged the main,
The deadly din of battle dies,
For Christ has come again.
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