Page:Poems Curwen.djvu/67

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home from sea.
59

Then comes the welcome news—"For home."
O, what a joyful sound!
Mothers, and wives, and sweethearts know
What's meant by "homeward bound."

Back to old England—back again
O'er mountains of sea and foam
Back through tempest and storm once more
To earth's dearest haven—home.
Back to a mother's fond embrace—
Can sweeter welcome be—
Than a mother's arms and a mother's kiss,
When lads come "home from sea."

Two happy mothers there are to-night,
Both radiant with joy—
But my heart goes out to the mothers who wait
In vain for some darling boy—
Some dear, dear laddie who wrote and said,
"Don't worry, dear mother, o'er me,
But think of the joy in store for both,
When I come 'home from sea.'"

Alas! for the mothers who watch and wait
For the tidings they never shall hear;
They wait and watch, but never again
Will the lads they love appear.
O mothers! poor mothers! God comfort you,
And when Death shall set you free,
May you find, on reaching the "Better Land,"
That your lads are "home from sea."