To the Ship of the Line Pennsylvania

"Leap forth to the careering seas,"
O ship of lofty name!
And toss upon thy native breeze
The stars and stripes of fame!
And bear thy thunders o'er the deep
Where vaunting navies ride!
Thou hast a nation's gems to keep —
Her honour and her pride!
Oh! holy is the covenant made
With thee and us to-day;
None from the compact shrinks afraid,
No traitor utters Nay!
We pledge our fervent love, and thou
Thy glorious ribs of oak,
Alive with men who cannot bow
To kings, nor kiss the yoke!
Speed lightnings o'er the Carib sea,
Which deeds of hell deform;
And look! her hands are spread to thee
Where Afric's robbers swarm.
Go! lie upon the JEgean's breast,
Where sparkle emerald isles —
Go! seek the lawless Suliote's nest,
And spoil his cruel wiles.
And keep, where sail the merchant ships,
Stern watch on their highway,
And promptly, through thine iron lips,
When urged, our tribute pay;
Yea, show thy bristling teeth of power,
Wherever tyrants bind,
In pride of their own little hour,
A freeborn, noble mind.
Spread out those ample wings of thine! —
While crime doth govern men,
'T is fit such bulwark of the brine
Should leave the shores of Penn;
For hid within thy giant strength
Are germs of welcome peace,
And such as thou, shalt cause at length
Man's feverish strife to cease.
From every vale, from every crag,
Word of thy beauty's past,
And joy we that our country's flag
Streams from thy towering mast —
Assured that in thy prowess, thou
For her wilt win renown,
Whose sons can die, but know not how
To strike that pennon down.