Ode To The British Fleet

'Invisible and silent' - Mystery     Surrounded that great Guardian of the Sea.     That Father - Mother - of the mighty main.     While loud in valley and on field and hill -     And over anguished plain     The battles thundered.    God himself is still     And hidden from men's view; and it were meet     That this subliminal force     Should move in utter silence on its course     Invisible - Inaudible - till that hour     When Time, Fate's Minister, should speak and say -     'Come forth! and show thy power!'     When Time commands, even the gods obey.     'Invisible and silent'; yet the foe     Was driven from the Sea.    All impotent     The brazen braggart went.     While commerce sent her brave ships to and fro;     And from Columbia's shores there sailed away     Ten thousand men a day -     Ten thousand men a day! who reached their goals     Bringing new courage to war-weary souls.     Oh, silent wonder of the noisy sea!     Though alien, with the blood of Bunker Hill     Down filtering through my veins, the heart of me     Seems with a mingled love and awe to fill     And overflow at thought of that sublime,     Unparalleled large hour of Time;     When bloodless Victory saw the foes' flag furled -     That insolent menace to a righteous world.     Great Britain's Fleet unshaken in its might,     Proclaimed itself again in all men's sight     The Mistress of the Main.    Fair Freedom's friend,     May peace and glory on thy path attend.