Come back, come back, behold with straining mast And swelling sail, behold her steaming fast; With one new sun to see her voyage o’er, With morning light to touch her native shore. Come back, come back. Come back, come back, while westward labouring by, With sailless yards, a bare black hulk we fly. See how the gale we fight with sweeps her back, To our lost home, on our forsaken track. Come back, come back. Come back, come back, across the flying foam, We hear faint far-off voices call us home, Come back, ye seem to say; ye seek in vain; We went, we sought, and homeward turned again. Come back, come back. Come back, come back; and whither back or why? To fan quenched hopes, forsaken schemes to try; Walk the old fields; pace the familiar street; Dream with the idlers, with the bards compete. Come back, come back. Come back, come back; and whither and for what? To finger idly some old Gordian knot, Unskilled to sunder, and too weak to cleave, And with much toil attain to half-believe. Come back, come back. Come back, come back; yea back, indeed, do go Sighs panting thick, and tears that want to flow; Fond fluttering hopes upraise their useless wings, And wishes idly struggle in the strings; Come back, come back. Come back, come back, more eager than the breeze, The flying fancies sweep across the seas, And lighter far than ocean’s flying foam, The heart’s fond message hurries to its home. Come back, come back. Come back, come back! Back flies the foam; the hoisted flag streams back; The long smoke wavers on the homeward track, Back fly with winds things which the winds obey, The strong ship follows its appointed way. 1852 * * * * * Some future day when what is now is not, When all old faults and follies are forgot, And thoughts of difference passed like dreams away, We’ll meet again, upon some future day. When all that hindered, all that vexed our love, As tall rank weeds will climb the blade above, When all but it has yielded to decay, We’ll meet again upon some future day. When we have proved, each on his course alone, The wider world, and learnt what’s now unknown, Have made life clear, and worked out each a way, We’ll meet again,—we shall have much to say. With happier mood, and feelings born anew, Our boyhood’s bygone fancies we’ll review, Talk o’er old talks, play as we used to play, And meet again, on many a future day. Some day, which oft our hearts shall yearn to see, In some far year, though distant yet to be, Shall we indeed,—ye winds and waters, say!— Meet yet again, upon some future day? 1852 * * * * * Where lies the land to which the ship would go? Far, far ahead, is all her seamen know. And where the land she travels from? Away, Far, far behind, is all that they can say.