<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">The Battle of the Bight</h1><div class="stanza"><p class="line"><span class="smallcaps">Had</span> I the fabled herb</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That brought to life the dead,</p><p class="line">Whom would I dare disturb</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">In his eternal bed?</p><p class="line">Great Grenville would I wake,</p><p class="line">And with glad tidings make</p><p class="line">The soul of mighty Drake</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Heave up a glorying head.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">As rose the misty sun,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Our men the North Sea scanned,</p><p class="line">And each rejoicing gun</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Welcomed a Foe at hand,</p><p class="line">And thundering its delight,</p><p class="line">Opened its mouth outright,</p><p class="line">And bit them in the Bight,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The Bight of Helgoland.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">With Captains who could each</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Do aught but yield or flee;</p><p class="line">With guns that spake the speech</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Shall keep this Kingdom free;</p><p class="line">We hammered to their doom</p><p class="line">Four Giants mid the gloom,</p><p class="line">And one to a fiercer tomb</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Sent blazing down the sea.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">Sleep on, O Drake, sleep well,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">In days not wholly dire!</p><p class="line">Grenville, whom nought could quell,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Unquenched is still thy fire.</p><p class="line">And thou that hadst no peer,</p><p class="line">Nelson! thou need'st not fear:</p><p class="line">Thy sons and heirs are here,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Nor shall they shame their sire.</p></div><p class="byline">WILLIAM WATSON</p><em>Times</em></body></html> · Great War