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Poem
September 24, 1875
The Jasper Weekly Courier
Jasper, Dubois County, Indiana
What is this article about?
A lyrical poem imagining the return of ships at sea laden with treasures, using them as metaphors for wealth and hopes, but ultimately revealing that the 'love-ship' is the most precious, without which all else is worthless.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
MY SHIPS.
If all the ships I have at sea
Should come a-sailing home to me,
Laden with precious gems and gold
Ah, well! the harbor could not hold
So many ships as there would be,
If all my ships came in from sea.
If all my ships sailed home from sea,
And brought their precious freight to me;
Ah, well! I should have wealth as great
As any Queen who sits in state,
So rich the treasures that would be
In half my ships now out at sea.
If just one ship I have at sea
Should come a-sailing home to me:
Ah, well! the storm-clouds then might frown.
For if the others all went down,
Still rich and proud and glad I'd be,
If that one ship came back to me.
If that one ship went down at sea,
And all the others came to me.
Just loaded down with wealth untold,
With glory, honors, riches, gold,
The poorest soul on earth I'd be,
If that one ship came not to me.
Oh, skies, be calm; oh, winds, blow free;
Blow all my ships safe home to me,
But if thou sendest some a wreck,
To never more come sailing back,
Send any—all that skim the sea—
But bring my love-ship home to me.
If all the ships I have at sea
Should come a-sailing home to me,
Laden with precious gems and gold
Ah, well! the harbor could not hold
So many ships as there would be,
If all my ships came in from sea.
If all my ships sailed home from sea,
And brought their precious freight to me;
Ah, well! I should have wealth as great
As any Queen who sits in state,
So rich the treasures that would be
In half my ships now out at sea.
If just one ship I have at sea
Should come a-sailing home to me:
Ah, well! the storm-clouds then might frown.
For if the others all went down,
Still rich and proud and glad I'd be,
If that one ship came back to me.
If that one ship went down at sea,
And all the others came to me.
Just loaded down with wealth untold,
With glory, honors, riches, gold,
The poorest soul on earth I'd be,
If that one ship came not to me.
Oh, skies, be calm; oh, winds, blow free;
Blow all my ships safe home to me,
But if thou sendest some a wreck,
To never more come sailing back,
Send any—all that skim the sea—
But bring my love-ship home to me.
What sub-type of article is it?
Ballad
Song
What themes does it cover?
Love Courtship
What keywords are associated?
Ships At Sea
Precious Cargo
Wealth And Gold
Love Ship
Storm And Wreck
Poem Details
Title
My Ships.
Key Lines
But Bring My Love Ship Home To Me.
If That One Ship Went Down At Sea,
The Poorest Soul On Earth I'd Be,
Oh, Skies, Be Calm; Oh, Winds, Blow Free;