Hallo ye, my fellows! arise and advance, <br />See the white-crested waves how they stamp and they dance! <br />High over the reef there in anger and might, <br />So wildly we dance to the bloody red fight. <br />Than gather, now gather, come gather ye all, <br />Each thing that hath legs and arms, come to our call; <br />Like reeds on the moor when the whirlwinds vie <br />Our lances and war-axes darken the sky; <br />Sharp, sharp, as the tooth of the sea-hound and shark, <br />They'll tear ye, they'll split ye, fly lance to the mark, <br />Home, home to the heart, and thou battle-axe grim, <br />Split, splintring and shivering through brain-pan and limb; <br />To-day we ask vengeance, to-day we ask blood, <br />We ask it; we're coming to make our words good; <br />The storm flinches not tho’ the woods choke its path, <br />We ask it; we're coming, beware of our wrath. <br />At home wives and children a hearth for us lay, <br />A savoury flesh-feast awaits us to-day; <br />Behind yonder mountains e’en now the smoke streams, <br />And the blaze of the bush fire crackles and gleams. <br />Long, long have we hungered and thirsted for you, <br />At home the dogs bark round the clean table too, <br />Loud shouting we'll eat you to-night every one, <br />Devour you clean to the white sinewy bone. <br />Rush, rush ye my fellows, rush on them like hail, <br />Soon, soon shall their roasting your nostrils regale, <br />The fire is flaring, the oven’s a glow, <br />Heave to now hew thro’ now, Holloa, Hollo.<br /><br />James Clerk Maxwell<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/an-onset/
