The Naval Reserve

Item

The Naval Reserve

From the undiscovered deep

Where the blessed lie at ease --

Since the ancient navies keep

Empire of the heavenly seas --

Back they come, the mighty dead,

Quick to serve where they have led.

Rushing on the homeward gale,

Swift they come, to seek their place

Where the grey flotillas sail,

Where the children of their race

Now against the foe maintain

All they gave their lives to gain.

Rank on rank, the admirals

Rally to their old commands;

Where the crash of battle falls,

There the one-armed hero stands.

Loud upon his phantom mast

Speak the signals of the past.

Where upon the friendly wave

Stand our squadrons as of old,

Where the lonely deed and brave

Shall the ancient torch uphold --

Strive for England, side by side,

Those who live and those who died.

New Weekly, August 15, 1914
Title
The Naval Reserve
Identifier
greatwar_lane036
Media
<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Naval Reserve</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">From</span> the undiscovered deep</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Where the blessed lie at ease --</p><p class="line">Since the ancient navies keep</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Empire of the heavenly seas --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Back they come, the mighty dead,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Quick to serve where they have led.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Rushing on the homeward gale,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Swift they come, to seek their place</p><p class="line">Where the grey flotillas sail,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Where the children of their race</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Now against the foe maintain</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">All they gave their lives to gain.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Rank on rank, the admirals</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Rally to their old commands;</p><p class="line">Where the crash of battle falls,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">There the one-armed hero stands.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Loud upon his phantom mast</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Speak the signals of the past.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Where upon the friendly wave</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Stand our squadrons as of old,</p><p class="line">Where the lonely deed and brave</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Shall the ancient torch uphold --</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Strive for England, side by side,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:4%">Those who live and those who died.</p></div><p class="byline">EVELYN UNDERHILL</p><em>New Weekly, August</em> 15, 1914</body></html>