<h2><SPAN name="poem82"></SPAN>MY SHIPS</h2>
<p class="poetry">If all the ships I have at sea<br/>
Should come a-sailing home to me,<br/>
Ah, well! the harbour could not hold<br/>
So many sails as there would be<br/>
If all my ships came in from sea.</p>
<p class="poetry">If half my ships came home from sea,<br/>
And brought their precious freight to me,<br/>
Ah, well! I should have wealth as great<br/>
As any king who sits in state—<br/>
So rich the treasures that would be<br/>
In half my ships now out at sea.</p>
<p class="poetry">If just one ship I have at sea<br/>
Should come a-sailing home to me,<br/>
Ah, well! the storm-clouds then might frown<br/>
For if the others all went down,<br/>
Still rich and proud and glad I’d be<br/>
If that one ship came back to me.</p>
<p class="poetry">If that one ship went down at sea,<br/>
And all the others came to me,<br/>
Weighed down with gems and wealth untold,<br/>
With glory, honours, riches, gold,<br/>
The poorest soul on earth I’d be<br/>
If that one ship came not to me.</p>
<p class="poetry">O skies, be calm! O winds, blow
free—<br/>
Blow all my ships safe home to me!<br/>
But if thou sendest some a-wrack,<br/>
To never more come sailing back,<br/>
Send any—all that skim the sea,<br/>
But bring my love-ship home to me.</p>
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