|
WHERE the remote Bermudas ride | |
In the oceans bosom unespied, | |
From a small boat that rowed along | |
The listening winds received this song: | |
What should we do but sing His praise | 5 |
That led us through the watery maze | |
Where he the huge sea monsters wracks, | |
That lift the deep upon their backs, | |
Unto an isle so long unknown, | |
And yet far kinder than our own? | 10 |
He lands us on a grassy stage, | |
Safe from the storms, and prelates rage; | |
He gave us this eternal spring | |
Which here enamels everything, | |
And sends the fowls to us in care | 15 |
On daily visits through the air. | |
He hangs in shades the orange bright | |
Like golden lamps in a green night. | |
And does in the pomegranates close | |
Jewels more rich than Ormus shows: | 20 |
He makes the figs our mouths to meet, | |
And throws the melons at our feet; | |
But apples, plants of such a price, | |
No tree could ever bear them twice. | |
With cedars chosen by his hand | 25 |
From Lebanon he stores the land; | |
And makes the hollow seas that roar | |
Proclaim the ambergris on shore. | |
He cast (of which we rather boast) | |
The Gospels pearl upon our coast; | 30 |
And in these rocks for us did frame | |
A temple where to sound his name. | |
O, let our voice his praise exalt | |
Till it arrive at heavens vault, | |
Which then perhaps rebounding may | 35 |
Echo beyond the Mexique bay! | |
Thus sung they in the English boat | |
A holy and a cheerful note; | |
And all the way, to guide their chime, | |
With falling oars they kept the time. | 40 |
|