BENEATH the low-hung night cloud <br />That raked her splintering mast <br />The good ship settled slowly, <br />The cruel leak gained fast. <br /> <br />Over the awful ocean <br />Her signal guns pealed out. <br />Dear God! was that Thy answer <br />From the horror round about? <br /> <br />A voice came down the wild wind, <br />'Ho! ship ahoy!' its cry <br />'Our stout Three Bells of Glasgow <br />Shall lay till daylight by!' <br /> <br />Hour after hour crept slowly, <br />Yet on the heaving swells <br />Tossed up and down the ship-lights, <br />The lights of the Three Bells! <br /> <br />And ship to ship made signals, <br />Man answered back to man, <br />While oft, to cheer and hearten, <br />The Three Bells nearer ran; <br /> <br />And the captain from her taffrail <br />Sent down his hopeful cry <br />'Take heart! Hold on!' he shouted; <br />'The Three Bells shall lay by!' <br /> <br />All night across the waters <br />The tossing lights shone clear; <br />All night from reeling taffrail <br />The Three Bells sent her cheer. <br /> <br />And when the dreary watches <br />Of storm and darkness passed, <br />Just as the wreck lurched under, <br />All souls were saved at last. <br /> <br />Sail on, Three Bells, forever, <br />In grateful memory sail! <br />Ring on, Three Bells of rescue, <br />Above the wave and gale! <br /> <br />Type of the Love eternal, <br />Repeat the Master's cry, <br />As tossing through our darkness <br />The lights of God draw nigh!<br /><br />John Greenleaf Whittier<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-three-bells/
