The Songs that Quinte Sang/My Ships That Went to Sea
My Ships That Went to Sea.
From tho haven of the sheltered bay
My ships sailed out in proud array;
’Twas the morn of a golden summer day
And the wind blew fair and free.
The air was clear, and the sky was bright,
And the blue waves laughed in the glad sunlight
And, Oh! But it was a goodly sight
As my ships sailed out to sea.
I was proud of my ships, a gallant fleet,
With their graceful hulls, so trim and neat,
Sturdy and staunch and all complete
From their spars to the smallest rope.
One was a ship of stately mien
Whose white sails shone with a silver sheen,
A goodlier ship was never seen,
And I called her “The Golden Hope.”
And laden was she with a cargo rare,
With beautiful dreams and fancies fair,
A post’s song and a true heart’s prayer,
And many a smile and tear.
Dreams of wealth, and dreams of fame,
Hopes of winning an honored name
And all the pride of a lofty aim,
And many a hope and fear.
And I watched them as they sailed afar
Till I saw the top of each slender spar
Fade beyond the horizon’s bar,
But my heart was light and gay.
For why should I feel a throb of fear
When the wind blew fair and the sky was clear
So my heart was light with hope and cheer
As I watched them sail away.
But often my heart grew sick with fear
For my ships were gone for many a year
And O, but the nights were long and drear
And the days dragged wearily,
And often when others were fast asleep
And the angry storm king rode the deep,
The whole night long I would watch and weep
For my bonnie ships at sea.
But they bring me glad, good news to-day,
“Oh! Your ships are coming in,” they say,
“You can see them gliding up the bay
In the glow of the morning sun.”
Oh! My ships are in with their cargoes rare
And their colors streaming in the air
My bonnie ships, so brave and fair,
They are all in—save one.
The Golden Hope with topmasts tall
Hides like a queen among them all,
But a fairy shallop, frail and small,
The dearest of all to me,
One night when the winds and waves were high
Went down to her doom ’neath a pitiless sky,
And never a thought for the rest have I
Since Love went down at sea.