AT OUR GOLDEN GATE.
Joaquin Miller
t our gate he groaneth, groaneth. - Chafes as chained, and chafes all day;
- As leashed greyhound moaneth, moaneth.
- When the master keeps away.
- Men have seen him steal in lowly,
- Lick the island's feet and face.
- Lift a cold wet nose up slowly.
- Then turn empty to his place:
- Empty, idle, hungered, waiting
- For some hero, dauntless-souled,
- Glory-loving, pleasure-hating.
- Minted in God's ancient mold.
- What ship yonder stealing, stealing,
- Pirate-like, as if ashamed?
- Black men, brown men, red, revealing—
- Not one white man to be named!
- What flag yonder, proud, defiant.
- Topmast, saucy, and sea blown?
- Tall ships lordly and reliant—
- All flags yonder save our own!
- Surged atop yon half-world water
- Once a tuneful tall ship ran;
- Ran the storm king, too, and caught her,
- Caught and laughed as laughs a man:
- Laughed and held her, and so holden,
- Holden high, foam-crest and free
- As famed harper, hoar and olden.
- Held his great harp on his knee.
- Then his fingers wildly flinging
- Through chords, ropes—such symphony
- As if some wild Wagner singing—
- Some wild Wagner of the sea!
- Sang he of such poor cowed weaklings,
- Cowed, weak landsmen such as we.
- While ten thousand storied sea kings
- Foam-white, storm-blown, sat the sea.
- Oh, for England's old sea thunder!
- Oh, for England's bold sea men.
- When we banged her over, under
- And she banged us back again!
- Better old time strife and stresses.
- Cloud top't towers, walls, distrust;
- Better wars than lazinesses.
- Better loot than wine and lust!
- Give us seas? Why, we have oceans!
- Give us manhood, sea men, men!
- Give us deeds, loves, hates, emotions!
- Else give back these seas again.