Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-01-06
Written for The Worcester Daily Spy,1
PL0WDEN HALSEY.
1870

Live the name OF IloWden Halsey.
Honor TO his hero soul!
Tell the old and noble story,
Wreathe his name with fresher glory,
As the ages roll.
on the harbor of New London
Lay British man-of-war.
BY her force our troops annoying,
And our commerce still destroying,
Driving it afar.
Who will in the dread Torpedo
Sinking down her hull beneath,
Screw the magazine tremendous,
Whose explosive force stupendous
Scatters all in death?
81 will CO." said Plowden Halsey,
With the red flush on his cheek;
And his slender form grew stately
All around him wondered greatly,
As they heard him speak.
81 will co. said Plowden Halsey,
''Some heart must the peril brave.
Never say that fear appals me.
Let me go my country calls me,
Honored, if l save.
Let me go and safe returning,
Life has higher power TO bless.
Let me go; and, even if isiling,
Take this comfort mid bewailing,
Noble failure is Success
SEQ not" said his mother weepingi-
Plowden was her youngest SOM
In the grave the rest were lying,
One by one she saw them DYING
Leave me not alone"
''Go notn said the fairest maiden,
Vainly worshipped many years,
"Shun for me this fearful dangerm
Tones of love that sounded stranger
For her falling tears.
And his mother blessed him. weeping,
Kissed his brow serene and high,
And the fairest maiden blessed him,
As she tenderly caressed him,
Sobbing, Must thou die?''
oh the night was wild and stormy!
Shrouding mists came closely down;
Thick the murky air was glooming,
And the gusty waves were booming;
Dark the tempest's frown.
Out into the formless darkness
Strong hands bent the springng oar;
Died away the friendly voices;
flushed were all the murmured noises;
Died the lights on shore.
Underneath the tall mast's shadow
Rowing close the youth they left
From The peril still unshrinEing,
In the fatal engine sinking
Under-waves ne cleft.
Poured the rain in rushing torrents,
Down the darkness driven aslOpe;
Comrades mid the mild commotion,
Watched the deed of stern devotion
Fearful, yet with hope.
Ha! the ship has caught the danger!
Lights are hurIying from below!
Peals the alarm gun! Men are leaping
Into the boats! With swift oars sweeping
Out TO seize the foe.
Closer round they draw the circle!
have tlley won the fearful prize!
Louder than the pealing thunder,
Bursting all the waves asunder,
Flaming on the skies,
Comes the terrible explosion!
Vast and hollow is the square
Where tine many boats were sailing,
And the awful light is paling,
And no boats are there.
Reels the shipin foaming waters,
Lashing furious to the shore;
And the stormrage grows intenser,
And the darkness gathers denser-
Densersthan before.
Where is noble Plowden Halsey?
Yainly do his comrades row
All the night. Oh, night appalling!
Irresponsive to their calling,
Powder sleeps below.
Vain the search, and vain the calling!
Through the mist adown the bay,
BY the cold light of the morning,
Sternly marked they through the dawning
The ship get under way.
Morn shone out in fresher splendor,
Spendor that was deeper gloom,
To the mother, sorrow-laden,
To the loved and hapless maiden,
As they learned his doom.
Vain the power of consolation;
Touch the heart chords as it will,
All the golden notes will SILVER,
As along the strings they CULVER,
With discordant thrill.
Honor soothes the keener anguish,
BUTT marks the greater loss;
Long the mother-heart lamented,
And the hapess maiden tainted
tainted meath her cross.
Long ago the roses withered,
And the love, light ceased to burn,
Long ago the moss was growing
Where their feet had ceased from going
10 the lost ones urn.
But the name of Plowden Halsey
Lives with every hero-soul;
Youth shall tell his noble story,
Wreath his name with fresher glory,
AS the ages roll.