StoryTitle("caps", "Casabianca") ?>
by Felicia Hemans (1793-1835), is the portrait of a faithful
heart, an example of unreasoning obedience. It is right that a child should
obey even to the death the commands of a loving parent.
PoemStart() ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The boy stood on the burning deck,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Whence all but him had fled;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The flame that lit the battle's wreck", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Shone round him o'er the dead.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Yet beautiful and bright he stood,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "As born to rule the storm;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "A creature of heroic blood,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "A proud though childlike form.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "The flames rolled on—he would not go", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Without his father's word;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "That father, faint in death below,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "His voice no longer heard.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "He called aloud, \"Say, father, say", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "If yet my task is done?\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "He knew not that the chieftain lay", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Unconscious of his son.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "\"Speak, father!\" once again he cried,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "\"If I may yet be gone!\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And but the booming shots replied,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And fast the flames rolled on.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Upon his brow he felt their breath,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "And in his waving hair;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And looked from that lone post of death", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "In still, yet brave despair.", "") ?>
PagePoem(23, "L0", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And shouted but once more aloud", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "\"My father! must I stay?\"", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "While o'er him fast, through sail and shroud,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "The wreathing fires made way.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "They wrapt the ship in splendour wild,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "They caught the flag on high,", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "And streamed above the gallant child", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Like banners in the sky.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "Then came a burst of thunder sound—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "The boy—oh! where was he?", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "—Ask of the winds that far around", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "With fragments strew the sea;", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "With mast, and helm, and pennon fair.", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "That well had borne their part—", "") ?>
PoemLine("L0", "", "But the noblest thing that perished there", "") ?>
PoemLine("L2", "", "Was that young, faithful heart.", "") ?>
PoemAttribution("100", SmallCapsText("Felicia Hemans.")) ?>
PoemEnd() ?>