A Sea Symphony: I. A Song for All Seas, All Ships (Moderato maestoso)

1. A Song for All Seas, All Ships

Chorus

Behold, the sea itself,

And on its limitless, heaving breast, the ships

See, where their white sails, bellying in the wind,

Speckle the green and blue,

See, the steamers coming and going, steaming in or out of port,

See, dusky and undulating, the long pennants of smoke.

Behold, the sea itself,

And on its limitless, heaving breast. the ships.

Baritone, Chorus

Today a rude brief recitative,

Of ships sailing the seas, each with its special flag or ship-signal,

Of unnamed heroes in the ships - of waves spreading and spreading far as the eye can reach,

Of dashing spray, and the winds piping and blowing,

And out of these a chant for the sailors of all nations,

Fitful, like a surge.

Of sea captains young or old, and the mates, and of all intrepid sailors,

Of the few, very choice, taciturn, whom fate can never surprise nor death dismay,

Pick'd sparingly, without noise by thee, old ocean, chosen by thee,

Thou sea that pickest and cullest the race in time, and unitest the nations,

Suckled by thee, old husky nurse, embodying thee,

Indomitable, untamed as thee.

Soprano, Chorus

Flaunt out 0 sea your separate flags of nations!

Flaunt out visible as ever the various flags and ship-signals'

But do you reserve especially for yourself and for the soul of man one flag above all the rest,

A spiritual woven signal for all nations, emblem of man elate above death.

Token of all brave captains and of al l intrepid sailors and mates,

And of all that went down doing their duty,

Reminiscent of them, twined from all intrepid captains young or old,

Soprano, Baritone, Chorus

A pennant universal, subtly waving all time, o'er all brave sailors,

All ships, all ships.