"Land A-Head!"
Dublin Core
Title
"Land A-Head!"
Description
SWEET music in the wave-worn ear!
The top-mast man shouts - "Land a-head!"
O, as those gladsome tidings speed
The way, to see the "Land a-head."
Once - and 'tis still a happy day -
Broke out and beamed from "Land a-head."
I sat me by a dying man -
And shared bright hopes from "Land a-head."
Those scenes are now forever past;
Would bound to see a "Land a-head."
I gently press'd his feeble hand,
The thought, he cried out - "Land a-head!"
It was the olden, happy phrase;
On man from heavenly "Land a-head."
O he could see beyond the skies -
Up straightway to that "Land a-head."
And thither he went up at length,
Celestial land - the "Land a-head!"
Hottoft, Lincolnshire.
It is the seaman's cry,
When the first speck of home-land nearBreaks on the eager eye;
Then, loud as lip the news can spread,The top-mast man shouts - "Land a-head!"
O, as those gladsome tidings speed
Down through the decks below,
All hearts begin to melt indeed,And eyes to overflow;
And blithe ones to the topmast threadThe way, to see the "Land a-head."
Once - and 'tis still a happy day -
I heard those accents fall,
Where earth had but a shadowy sway,And seas no sway at all;
The heavens seemed past, and light, instead,Broke out and beamed from "Land a-head."
I sat me by a dying man -
A good old man was he -
Whose years had through life's little spanBeen less on land than sea;
Where he had fought and watched, and bled,And shared bright hopes from "Land a-head."
Those scenes are now forever past;
His heart was on the shore
Where holy brethren meet at last,And storms are heard no more;
And, rising from that lowly bed,Would bound to see a "Land a-head."
I gently press'd his feeble hand,
So soon to turn to clay;
And wondered if his heart was mann'dTo meet that dreadful day;
When, as if in my looks he readThe thought, he cried out - "Land a-head!"
It was the olden, happy phrase;
But at that hour it came,
Not wrapt in light of elder days,But in immortal flame
Poured out, and in abundance shed,On man from heavenly "Land a-head."
O he could see beyond the skies -
Beyond the grave could see,
Where mansions of salvation riseFor such poor worms as he;
And nobly trod the path that ledUp straightway to that "Land a-head."
And thither he went up at length,
And walks the regions o'er,
Which arm'd those lingering hours with strength,And cheer'd for years before;
If sweet to see, how sweet to treadCelestial land - the "Land a-head!"
Hottoft, Lincolnshire.
Creator
Rev. George Bryan, M.A.
Source
New Series 2:35, p. 150
Date
1841.11.13
Collection
Citation
Rev. George Bryan, M.A., “"Land A-Head!",” Periodical Poets, accessed October 18, 2024, https://periodicalpoets.com/items/show/445.
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