If all the ships I have at sea
Should come a-sailing home to me,
Weighed down with gems, and silk and gold,
Ah! well, the harbor would not hold
So many ships as there would be,
If all my ships came home from sea.
If half my ships came home from sea,
And brought their precious freight to me,
Ah! well, I should have wealth as great
As any king that sits in state,
So rich the treasure there would be
In half my ships now out at sea.
If but one ship I have at sea
Should come a-sailing home to me,
Ah! well, the storm clouds then might frown,
For, if the others all went down,
Still rich and glad and proud I'd be
If that one ship came home to me.
If that one ship went down at sea
And all the others came to me
Weighed down with gems and wealth untold,
With honor, riches, glory, gold,
The poorest soul on earth I'd be
If that one ship came not to me.
O skies, be calm; O winds, blow free!
Blow all my ships safe home to me,
But if thou sendest some awrack,
To nevermore come sailing back,
Send any, all that skim the sea,
But send my love ship home to me.
_Ella Wheeler Wilcox._