Death & Dying

The Ships of Grief

by John Drinkwater 1882–1937

From Poems 1908-1919

Death & Dying

On seas where every pilot fails
A thousand thousand ships to-day
Ride with a moaning in their sails,
Through winds grey and waters grey.

They are the ships of grief. They go
As fleets are derelict and driven,
Estranged from every port they know,
Scarce asking fortitude of heaven.

No, do not hail them. Let them ride
Lonely as they would lonely be ...
There is an hour will prove the tide,
There is a sun will strike the sea.

MLA

Drinkwater, John. “The Ships of Grief.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/drinkwater/101/.

Chicago

Drinkwater, John. “The Ships of Grief.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/drinkwater/101/.

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