Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE ARETHUSA, by PRINCE HOARE First Line: Come, all ye jolly sailors bold Last Line: On board of the arethusa! Subject(s): Sea; Ocean | ||||||||
COME all ye jolly sailors bold, Whose hearts are cast in honour's mould, While English glory I unfold Huzzah to the Arethusa! She is a frigate, tight and brave, As ever stemmed the dashing wave; Her men are staunch To their favourite launch; And when the foe shall meet our fire, Sooner than strike, we'll all expire On board of the Arethusa. 'Twas with the spring fleet she went out, The English Channel to cruise about, When four French sail, in show so stout, Bore down on the Arethusa. The famed Belle Poule straight ahead did lie, The Arethusa seemed to fly: Not a sheet or a tack Or a brace did she slack, Though the Frenchman laughed and thought it stuff: But they knew not the handful of men, how tough On board of the Arethusa. On deck five hundred men did dance, The stoutest they could find in France; We with two hundred did advance On board of the Arethusa. Our captain hailed the FrenchmanHo! The Frenchman then cried out " Hollo!" " Bear down, d'ye see, To our admiral's lee!" " No, no!"says the Frenchman, " that can't be ": "Then I must lug you along with me," Says the saucy Arethusa. The fight was off the Frenchman's land; We forced them back upon their strand, For we fought till not a stick would stand Of the gallant Arethusa. And now we've driven the foe ashore, Never to fight with Britons more: Let each fill a glass To his favourite lass: A health to our captains and officers true, And all that belong to the jovial crew On board of the Arethusa! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HALL OF OCEAN LIFE by JOHN HOLLANDER JULY FOURTH BY THE OCEAN by ROBINSON JEFFERS BOATS IN A FOG by ROBINSON JEFFERS CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE FIGUREHEAD by LEONIE ADAMS |
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