Versos English Walt Whitman _A Ship._

English poem

_A Ship._

by

Listen in the reader

1.

Aboard, at the ship's helm, A young steersman, steering with care.

A bell through fog on a sea-coast dolefully ringing, An ocean-bell--O a warning bell, rocked by the waves.

O you give good notice indeed, you bell by the sea-reefs ringing, Ringing, ringing, to warn the ship from its wreck-place. For, as on the alert, O steersman, you mind the bell's admonition, The bows turn,--the freighted ship, tacking, speeds away under her grey sails; The beautiful and noble ship, with all her precious wealth, speeds away gaily and safe.

2.

But O the ship, the immortal ship! O ship aboard the ship! O ship of the body--ship of the soul--voyaging, voyaging, voyaging.