Poems of Nature (Whittier)/The Three Bells
THE THREE BELLS.
Beneath the low-hung night cloudThat raked her splintering mastThe good ship settled slowly,The cruel leak gained fast.
Over the awful oceanHer signal guns pealed out.Dear God! was that thy answerFrom the horror round about?
A voice came down the wild wind,"Ho! ship ahoy!" its cry:"Our stout Three Bells of GlasgowShall lay till daylight by!"
Hour after hour crept slowly,Yet on the heaving swellsTossed up and down the ship-lights,The lights of the Three Bells!
And ship to ship made signals,Man answered back to man,While oft, to cheer and hearten,The Three Bells nearer ran;
And the captain from her taffrailSent down his hopeful cry"Take heart! Hold on!" he shouted,"The Three Bells shall lay by!"
All night across the watersThe tossing lights shone clear;All night from reeling taffrailThe Three Bells sent her cheer.
And when the dreary watchesOf storm and darkness passed,Just as the wreck lurched under,All souls were saved at last.
Sail on, Three Bells, forever,In grateful memory sail!Ring on, Three Bells of rescue,Above the wave and gale!
Type of the Love eternal,Repeat the Master's cry,As tossing through our darknessThe lights of God draw nigh!