Classic Poem

" S.O.S.! S.O.S.! "
Comes the signal of distress
Everywhere we list we hear
Some one sounding in his fear,
" S.O.S. "
If it happen on the sea
Instantly
Comes the answer, ringing clear,
" Hold your spirits full of cheer!
We are hastening o'er the wave,
And will save!
Hidden in the misty haze
Of dread ocean's stormy ways
We will find you and extend
Helping hand unto the end;
Hand to lift you safely o'er
Raging waters to the shore.
Keep your courage undismayed!
Let your hearts rest unafraid —
We have heard your cry of fear
Ringing through the atmosphere,
And with loving eagerness
O'er the waters on we press,
Answering your S.O.S.! "
If it happen on the land
Where is then the helping hand?
From the homes of penury,
From the vales of misery,
From the lair of sodden grief
Comes the pleading for relief,
" S.O.S.! S.O.S.! "
Help us in our helplessness —
S.O.S.! "
Sounding daily in our ears
From the haunts of human tears,
Echoing on every side
From the ever-rising tide
Comes the call for tenderness —
" S.O.S.! "

Grinding chance, and human ills;
Shattered hope that numbs and kills;
Human derelicts are there,
Sinking, sinking, in despair,
To the grave;
In their awful loneliness,
Crying, sobbing, " S.O.S.!
Come in charity to save!
From the spring
Of thy blessings haste to bring
Comfort to the comfortless —
S.O.S.! S.O.S.! "
Women, children, in the crush,
Trampled in the maddened rush,
For some bare necessity
Cry aloud incessantly,
In their groaning wretchedness,
" S.O.S.! "

Here's a human soul beset
In the purlieus of regret —
Tangled up, enmeshed within
Webs of Sin —
Hear his signal of distress!
Hear his wailing S.O.S.!
" Hasten ye!
Save me from this beggary —
Beggary of soul and heart!
I, alas, have lost my chart,
And am drifting o'er the sea
To the ports of slavery
Ransomless —
S.O.S.! S.O.S.!
Round my soul the waters rise
Shutting out the blue of skies;
Shutting out the Father's face
In the fathomless disgrace —
Will ye leave me in my stress
Fatherless?
Leave me not unto this fate!
Come before it is too late —
Ere a human soul shall sink,
Slipping, slipping, o'er the brink,
In the snare
Of despair,
Lost for aye to righteousness —
S.O.S.! S.O.S.! "

O the signals! O the calls!
Flashing o'er these city walls
From the realms of ugliness
That upon us ever press
With their pleading S.O.S.!
Cries of children in despond —
Motherless!
To the helping hands beyond —
" S.O.S.! "
Pleading ever for release!
Pleading for one taste of peace!
Little ones that blindly grope
In a hopeless quest for hope!
Pleading for a sure relief
From the waves of sin and grief!
Human vessels, one and all,
Sending out their piteous call —
Shall they find us pitiless,
When they sound their S.O.S.?

Do we need them? Do we list
To those voices in the mist
On the land?
Have we lent the helping hand
To our Brothers in despair
Everywhere?
Do we send them words of cheer,
Bidding them forget their fear,
With a message sounding clear —
" Hold your courage undismayed!
Keep your spirits unafraid!
We are hastening o'er the wave,
And will save!
We will come in Brotherhood,
And our boats are staunch, and good,
Laden deep with Love and Hope
For the weary souls that grope
In the sea
Of despair and misery —
Laden deep with tenderness,
Bringing comfort in your stress,
Answering your S.O.S.! "