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Felicia Hemans, "Casabianca," (1826)
The boy stood on the burning deck
Whence all but he had fled;
The flame that lit the battle's wreck
Shone round him o'er the dead.
Yet beautiful and bright he
stood, 5
As born to rule the storm;
A creature of heroic blood,
A proud, though childlike form.
The flames roll'd on-he would not go
Without his father's
word; 10
That father, faint in death below,
His voice no longer heard.
He call'd aloud-"Say, Father, say
If yet my task is done?"
He knew not that the chieftain
lay 15
Unconscious of his son.
"Speak, Father!" once again he cried,
"If I may yet be gone!"
And but the booming shots replied,
And fast the flames roll'd
on. 20
Upon his brow he felt their breath,
And in his waving hair,
And look'd from that lone post of death
In still, yet brave despair.
And shouted but once more
aloud, 25
"My Father! must I stay?"
While o'er him fast, through sail and
shroud,
The wreathing fires made way.
They wrapt the ship in splendour wild,
They caught the flag on
high, 30
And stream'd above the gallant child,
Like banners in the sky.
There came a burst of thunder sound-
The boy-oh! where was he?
Ask of the winds that far
around 35
With fragments strewed the sea!-
With mast, and helm, and pennon fair,
That well had borne their part,
But the noblest thing which perish'd
there
Was that young faithful
heart! 40
Note: Young Casabianca, a boy about
thirteen years old, son to the Admiral of the Orient, remained at his
post (in the
Battle of the
Nile) after the ship had taken fire, and all the guns had been
abandoned; and perished in the explosion of the vessel, when the
flames had reached the powder. [Heman's note]
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