Classic Poem

When the French fleet lay
In Massachusetts bay
In that day

When the British squadron made
Its impudent parade
Of blockade;

All along and up and down
The harbor of the town,—
The brave, proud town

That had fought with all its might
Its bold, brave fight
For the right,

To win its way alone
And hold and rule its own,
Such a groan

From the stanch hearts and stout
Of the Yankees there went out:
But to rout

The British lion then
Were maddest folly, when
One to ten

Their gallant allies lay,
Scant of powder, day by day
In the bay.

Chafing thus, impatient, sore,
One day along the shore
Slowly bore

A clipper schooner, worn
And rough and forlorn,
With its torn

Sails fluttering in the air:
The British sailors stare
At her there,

So cool and unafraid.
“What! she's running the blockade,
The jade!”

They all at once roar out,
Then—“Damn the Yankee lout!”
They shout.

Athwart her bows red hot
They send a challenge shot;
But not

An inch to right or left she veers,
Straight on and on she steers,
Nor hears

Challenge or shout, until
Rings forth with British will
A shrill

“Heave to!” Then sharp and short
Question and quick retort
Make British sport.

“What is it that you say,—
Where do I hail from pray,
What is my cargo, eh?

“My cargo? I'll allow
You can hear 'em crowin' now,
At the bow.

“And I've long-faced gentry too,
For passengers and crew,
Just a few,

“To fatten up, you know,
For home use, and a show
Of garden sass and so.

“And from Taunton town I hail;
Good Lord, it was a gale
When I set sail!”

The British captain laught
As he leaned there abaft:
“'T is a harmless craft,

“And a harmless fellow too,
With his long-faced gentry crew;
Let him through,”

He cried; and a gay “Heave ahead!”
Sounded forth, and there sped
Down the red

Sunset track, unafraid,
Straight through the blockade,
This jade

Of a harmless craft,
Packed full to her draught,
Fore and aft,

With powder and shot.
One day when, red hot
The British got

Their full share and more
Of this cargo, they swore,
With a roar,

At the trick she had played,
This “damned Yankee jade”
Who had run the blockade!