REASON’S VOYAGE
The earth was gay with early May
The tide was quickly flowing
When senses bright in that warm light
The thoughts of ice were growing
Speed on my boat, more quickly float
Far off the icy towers
And there I’ll see young love will flee
And wanton with the flowers
Speed on my boat more quickly float
Far off are beauty’s bowers
The boat speeds well when evening fell
To beauty knelt our lover
And gravely told his love tale cold
But love would not discover
Speed on my boat, more quickly float
Far off are young love’s bowers
Oh who can say when we will play
Back with the summer flowers
Speed on my boat, more quickly float
Far off are young love’s bowers
The evening fell and still his sails
Beneath the moonbeams quiver
When folly flew with all her crew
Out from the sparkling river
Speed on my boat, more quickly float
I hate the idle laughter
How would the wise, grave sense despise
Amongst the pleasure finders
Speed on my boat, more quickly float
I hate the idle laughter
With angry pride, the sea we plied
While folly laughing, singing
Then filled her cup and drained it up
While shouts around were ringing
I’ll flee with speed but take from me
This wreath of barren holly
Will suit you well, who could not tell
That love itself was folly
I’ll flee with speed but take from me
This wreath of barren holly
DEATH OF A GULL
Unhappy gull, they luckless end
May almost claim a tear
And thus to all that will attend
I’ll make the matter clear
Your parents on the sea washed beach
Fell, pierced by fatal lead
In vain from swift pursuer’s reach
Yourself and brother fled
And now denied aloft to soar
Or skim the waters round
You both upon North Georgia’s shore
Pea soup in plenty found
Yet food affords but small delight
When squabbles break our rest
And john and you would often fight
The cause yourselves knew best
But Johnny died and this last source
Of pleasure with him fell
When dire ennui’s all fretful farce
Did in your bosom swell
At length the fateful morn arrives
Unusual flames ascend
Had you possessed a hundred lives
They all had found an end
I feel it’s true some sense of pain
Your sufferings to review
But such regrets are ever vain
Miss Jenny Gull adieu
SONG OF DEFEAT
Away! Away! No kin have we
There’s nothing left to lose or win
The brave have sooner died than flee
And cowards they are not our kin
Weep for there’s grace in woman’s tears
When man fears death he owns his fears
Oh men! Oh father! Where’s the fame
Your Grandfather left you with their name
Away! Away! The tears we shed
Are tears of anger not of woe
Tears for the living, not the dead
For those whose kin t’were a shame to know.
The bird in each tree finds his nest
The deer to any lair can fly
But where shall wretched exiles rest
Who have not heart to live or die
DYING BROTHERS
Lay up nearer, brother, nearer
For my limbs are growing cold
And they presence seemeth dearer
As thy arms around me fold
I am dying, surely dying
But my hopes in God are strong
And I’m willing, brother, knowing
That he doeth nothing wrong
Listen, brother, catch each whisper
I have something I would say
Ere the veil my vision darkens
As I go far hence away
Tell my mother, God assist her
Now, for she is growing old
And her son would fain have kissed her
Ere his lips grew pale and cold
Listen, brother, catch each whisper
Tis my wife I speak of now
Tell, o tell her how I missed her
When the fever burned my brow
Tell her she must kiss my children
Like the kisses last embrace
Hold them as when last I held them
Hold them closely to her breast
Oh my children, heaven bless them
They were all the world to me
Would I could once more embrace them
Ere I sink beneath the sea
Twas for them I crossed the ocean
What my hopes I will not tell
They have gained an orphan’s portion
But he doeth all things well
Tell my father when you meet him
That in death I Prayed for him
Prayed that I would one day meet him
In a world that’s free from sin
Tell my sister I remember
Every kindly parting word
And my heart has been kept tender
With the thoughts their memory stirred
Tell me I’ll ne’er reach the haven
Where we sought the passage through
But I’ve gained a port called heaven
Where the dream will not grow old
Hark I hear my saviour calling
Tis his voice I know full well
When I’m gone, O, don’t be weeping
Brother here’s my last farewell
SONG OF THE SLEDGE
We’re away, we’re away, on the bleak frozen sea
When glory’s ahead none so fearless as we
Danger’s our birth right we’ve scorned it before
When friends need our help we’ll dare it the more
No home but our tent and our bed the cold snow
Is not heaven above us wherever we go
A fig for all hardship we’ll strive all the more
Across the wide flow and along the lone shore
Our shipmates last cheer bore the sound of success
Our efforts the prayers of the mourner will bless
Stop out my brave hearts who so dauntless as we
We’re away, we’re away on the bleak frozen sea
We’re away, we’re away on the bleak frozen sea
Hark save or we perish is borne on the gale
When such is their need is there one that would fail
No shoulder to shoulder we’ll search the dark West
And smile at the toil and ask not for rest
Till we grasp by the hand our countrymen dear
And over the soul drop a sailor’s sad tear
Yes the ice it may rend and the snow storm may rage
We seamen with both a struggle can wage
Our duty says onward and onward we go
And abide his behest for weal or for woe
Step out my brave hearts who so dauntless as we
We’re away, we’re away on the bleak frozen sea
We’re away, we’re away on the bleak frozen sea
THE REINDEER AND THE OX
Yes in climes beyond the sea
Milder gales per chance are blowing
But so long, o’er snowy mountains
I have marked the morning beam
Southern Vales and Southern fountains
Would to me more cheerless seem
Take the reindeer from the ground
Where the heard is want to rally
Take the muskox from the valley
Where the food he loves is found
Though in richest mead reclining
E’er the Southern poet sung
For his sandy plain he’s pining
And his rock with lichen hung
ALOUETTE
Alouette, gentile alouette
Alouette, I’ll pull your feathers off
I’ll pluck the feathers from your head
I’ll pluck the feathers from your head
From your head
From your head
Alouette, Alouette
Alouette, Oh.
…..wings
….legs
…..tail
….eyes
FROM GREENLAND’S ICY MOUNTAINS
From Greenland’s icy mountians
From India’s coral strand
Where Africa’s sunny fountains
Roll down their golden sand
From many an ancient river
From many a palmy plain
They call us to deliver
Their land from error’s chain
Can we whose souls are lighted
With wisdom from on high
Can we from men benighted
The lamp of life deny
Salvation O salvation
The joyful sound proclaim
Till each remotest nation
Has learned Messiah’s name
Waft waft ye winds his story
And you ye waters roll
Till like a sea of glory
It spreads from pole to pole
Till over our ransomed nature
The lamb for sinners slain
Redeemer King Creator
In bliss returns to reign
LADY FRANKLIN
You seamen bold, that have long withstood
Wild storms of Neptune’s briny flood
Hear these lines which I now will name
And bring to mind such a sailor’s dream
As homeward bound one night on the deep
Slung in my hammock I fell asleep
I dreamed a dream which I thought was true
Concerning Franklin and his brave crew
I thought as we neared to the Humber shore
I heard a female that did deplore
She wept aloud and did seem to say
Alas my Franklin is long away
Her mind it seemed to be in great distress
She cried aloud I can take no rest
Ten thousand pounds I would freely give
To say on earth that my husband lives
A long time now since two ships of fame
Did bear my husband across the main
A hundred seamen so brisk and stout
To find a North West Passage out
With one hundred seamen with hearts so bold
I fear have perished in the frost and cold
Alas she cried all my life I’ll mourn
Since Franklin never seems to return
For since that time seven years are past
And many a keen and bitter blast
Blows over the grave where poor seamen fell
Whose dreadful sufferings no tongue can tell
There’s Captain Austin of Scarboro town
Brave Granville and Penny of mush renown
With Captain Ross and so many more
Have long been searching the Arctic shore
They sailed East and they sailed West
Round Greenland’s coast they knew the best
In hardships tough they vainly strove
On mountains of ice their ships were drove
At Baffin’s Bay where the whalefish blows
The fate of Franklin nobody knows
Which causes many a wife to mourn
In grievous sorrow for their return
These sad forebodings they give me pain
For the long lost Franklin across the main
Likewise the fate of so many before
Who have left their homes to return no more
WILD WILD WANDERER
Farewell poor Carlo! Hapless dog adieu!
We mourn your fate unknown, but fate for sure
For fled is every hope, on which we drew
How could your frame the piercing frost endure
A wild wild wanderer in the midnight shade
A loyal dog you were not one to stray
And long your wished return, though still delayed
We vainly looked through each revolving day
On these dreary plains, exposed to every blast
Your bones will whiten in the wintery wind
For your confidence in trust, given to the last
Betrayed you friendless to the savage kind
Lured to the rabid wolf’s ferocious train
Your guiltless blood now stains the flecky snow
Indignant courage fired your heart in vain
Yet were you not in fight a feeble foe
For animation filled your sparkling eyes
And gentle pleasure every look expressed
When some loved footstep heard, approaching nigh
Inspired with joy your almost reasoning heart
Farewell poor Carlo! Though no headstone raised
The frail memorial of your fatal doom
Your faithful worth the mind, so generous will prize
While winter’s gathered snows adorn your tomb
Farewell poor Carlo! Hapless dog adieu!
A wild wild wanderer with the wolves through the snow