98
WHEREFORE?
For looming from the blackness drear before them
Discovered is the iceberg—hardly seen,
Its ghastly precipices hanging o'er them,
Its reddened peaks, with dreadful chasms between,
Discovered is the iceberg—hardly seen,
Its ghastly precipices hanging o'er them,
Its reddened peaks, with dreadful chasms between,
Ere darkness swallows it again! and veering
Out of its track the brave ship onward steers,
Just grazing ruin. Trembling still, and fearing,
Her grateful people melt in prayers and tears.
Out of its track the brave ship onward steers,
Just grazing ruin. Trembling still, and fearing,
Her grateful people melt in prayers and tears.
Is it a mockery, their profound thanksgiving?
Another ship goes shuddering to her doom
Unwarned, that very night, with hopes as living,
With freight as precious, lost amid the gloom,
Another ship goes shuddering to her doom
Unwarned, that very night, with hopes as living,
With freight as precious, lost amid the gloom,
With not a ray to show the apparition
Waiting to slay her, none to cry "Beware!"
Rushing straight onward headlong to perdition,
And for her crew no time vouchsafed for prayer!
Waiting to slay her, none to cry "Beware!"
Rushing straight onward headlong to perdition,
And for her crew no time vouchsafed for prayer!
Could they have stormed Heaven's gate with anguished praying,
It would not have availed a feather's weight
Against their doom. Yet were they disobeying
No law of God, to beckon such a fate.
It would not have availed a feather's weight
Against their doom. Yet were they disobeying
No law of God, to beckon such a fate.
