Men of the sea, Men of the sea, I lift mine eyes to the Flags unfurled— The Flags of Victory blowing free Over the new-born world. And I cry ‘Thank God! these things can be! Thank God, and the Men of the Sea!’ Little it matters to what they belong, Marine or Navy—or Merchant Ship— To the Men of the Sea I sing my song; A song that rises from heart to lip. I sing of the valour that ploughed a path Straight through the snares of a crafty foe, Through billows raging with wintry wrath, And over the dens of the devils below. To the splendid heroes of Jutland Bank And the Royal Navy I give their due; And cheek by jowl with them all, I rank The brave mine-sweepers and merchant crew. Trawler—Drifter—or English Fleet— All are manned by the Men of the Sea, And all together in my heart meet, For a boat is a boat to the mind of me. And who ever over the dread seas fared, And however humble his work or place, To the great Christ spirit must be compared— Since he offered his life for the good of the race. And how many lie in the deep-sea bed, No man can reckon, and no man number; But not one Soul of them all is dead, For death is only the body’s slumber. And the Men of the Mist, who from dark to dawn On the deck or the bridge stand guard at night, Oft feel the presence of comrades gone Who keep watch with them, though veiled from sight. _Many the songs of the brave boys sent_ _Over The Top in the battle’s thunder_; _But mine is the song of the men who went_ _Over the top of the waves—and under_. ODE TO THE BRITISH FLEET ‘Invisible and silent’—Mystery Surrounded that great Guardian of the Sea. That Father—Mother—of the mighty main. While loud in valley and on field and hill— And over anguished plain The battles thundered. God himself is still And hidden from men’s view; and it were meet That this subliminal force Should move in utter silence on its course Invisible—Inaudible—till that hour When Time, Fate’s Minister, should speak and say— ‘Come forth! and show thy power!’ When Time commands, even the gods obey. ‘Invisible and silent’; yet the foe Was driven from the Sea. All impotent The brazen braggart went. While commerce sent her brave ships to and fro; And from Columbia’s shores there sailed away Ten thousand men a day— Ten thousand men a day! who reached their goals Bringing new courage to war-weary souls. Oh, silent wonder of the noisy sea! Though alien, with the blood of Bunker Hill Down filtering through my veins, the heart of me Seems with a mingled love and awe to fill And overflow at thought of that sublime, Unparalleled large hour of Time; When bloodless Victory saw the foes’ flag furled— That insolent menace to a righteous world.