Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral/Ode to Neptune
ODE to NEPTUNE.
On Mrs. W—'s Voyage to England.
I.Wwhile raging tempests shake the shore, While Æ'lus' thunders round us roar,And sweep impetuous o'er the plainBe still, O tyrant of the main;Nor let thy brow contracted frowns betray, 5While my Susannah skims the wat'ry way.
II.The Pow'r propitious hears the lay,The blue-ey'd daughters of the seaWith sweeter cadence glide along,And Thames responsive joins the song. 10Pleas'd with their notes Sol sheds benign his ray,And double radiance decks the face of day.
III.To court thee to Britannia's arms Serene the climes and mild the sky,Her region boasts unnumber'd charms, 15Thy welcome smiles in ev'ry eye. Thy promise, Neptune keep, record my pray'r,Nor give my wishes to the empty air.
Boston, October 10, 1772.