Classic Poem

WRITTEN AT SEA, IN THE FIRST DUTCH WAR (1665), THE
NIGHT BEFORE AN ENGAGEMENT

To all you ladies now at land
— We men at sea indite;
But first would have you understand
— How hard it is to write:
The Muses now, and Neptune too,
We must implore to write to you —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

For though the Muses should prove kind,
— And fill our empty brain,
Yet if rough Neptune rouse the wind
— To wave the azure main,
Our paper, pen, and ink, and we,
Roll up and down our ships at sea —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

Then if we write not by each post,
— Think not we are unkind;
Nor yet conclude our ships are lost
— By Dutchmen or by wind:
Our tears we'll send a speedier way,
The tide shall bring them twice a day —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

The King with wonder and surprise
— Will swear the seas grow bold,
Because the tides will higher rise
— Than e'er they did of old:
But let him know it is our tears
Bring floods of grief to Whitehall stairs —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

Should foggy Opdam chance to know
— Our sad and dismal story,
The Dutch would scorn so weak a foe,
— And quit their fort at Goree:
For what resistance can they find
From men who've left their hearts behind? —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

Let wind and weather do its worst,
— Be you to us but kind;
Let Dutchmen vapor, Spaniards curse,
— No sorrow we shall find:
'Tis then no matter how things go,
Or who's our friend, or who's our foe —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

To pass our tedious hours away
— We throw a merry main,
Or else at serious ombre play:
— But why should we in vain
Each other's ruin thus pursue?
We were undone when we left you —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

But now our fears tempestuous grow
— And cast our hopes away;
Whilst you, regardless of our woe,
— Sit careless at a play:
Perhaps permit some happier man
To kiss your hand, or flirt your fan —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

When any mournful tune you hear,
— That dies in every note
As if it sighed with each man's care
— For being so remote,
Think then how often love we've made
To you, when all those tunes were played —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

In justice you cannot refuse
— To think of our distress,
When we for hopes of honor lose
— Our certain happiness:
All those designs are but to prove
Ourselves more worthy of your love —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.

And now we've told you all our loves,
— And likewise all our fears,
In hopes this declaration moves
— Some pity for our tears:
Let's hear of no inconstancy —
We have too much of that at sea —
— — With a fa, la, la, la, la.