4649446Poems — My Sailor BoyEdith Willis Linn
MY SAILOR BOY.
"TELL me sailor, sailing northward
To the land of ice and snow,
Where the mighty iceberg towers
And the midnight suns crouch low;
Tell me did you meet a ship
Decked with flags and banners gay,
While upon the prow there stood
Singing, as he sailed away,
Songs of gladness and of joy,
My bright, happy sailor boy?"

And the sailor, dim of eye,
Weak with famine and with pain,
Answered: '"Yes, in northern seas
Met we such a ship; in vain
Were our signals. On the prow
Dashed the ocean's icy spray.
Little cared the sailor boy,
Singing, as he sailed away,
Songs of gladness and of joy,
Merry, buoyant, sailor boy!"

Tell me sailor, sailing southward,
Where the palm and date-trees grow,
And the air is sweet with flowers
And gay birds fly to and fro;
Tell me did you meet a ship
Decked with streamers bright and gay,
While upon the prow there stood,
Singing, as he sailed away,
Songs of gladness and of joy,
My bright, happy, sailor boy?

And the sailor, bronzed and burnt
By the southern sun and breeze,
Answered: "Yes, when we were calmed
In the burning southern seas,
Sails full set and flags unfurled,
Steering northward, such a bark
Passed us, and upon its prow,
Singing gaily as a lark
Songs of happiness and joy,
The bright, jocund, sailor boy."

Of the sailors sailing eastward,
Of the sailors sailing west,
Still I ask the self-same question;
Comes the answer to my quest:
"Yes, we saw the ship so fair,
With its flags and streamers gay,
And upon the wave-washed prow,
Singing, as he sailed away,
Songs of gladness and of joy,
The bright, happy, sailor boy."

Just when I begin to know
Fears and sorrow and despair
Some stanch sailor of the seas
Tells me of my vessel fair;
Then I hope and watch again,
O'er the blue foam-feathered bay,
For my ship that long ago
Sailed into the far away,
And my merry sailor boy
Singing reckless songs of joy.

What the song my sailor sings?
You who know how hopes depart,
You who know how strives the soul,
Know how weary grows the heart,
Know how saddened grows the eye;
You who hear the echoed strain
Of a far-off, purer life,
Borne above earth's wail of pain—
You have met my sailor boy
Singing songs of deathless joy.