LESSON 2

CASABIANCA

THE boy stood on the burning deck,

Whence all but he had fled;

The flame, that lit the battle’s wreck,

Shone round him—o’er the dead.

Yet beautiful and bright he stood,

As born to rule the storm;

A creature of heroic blood,

A proud though child-like form!

The flames rolled on—he would not go,

Without his father’s word; —

That father, faint in death below,

His voice no longer heard.

He called aloud: “Say, father! say

If yet my task is done?” —

He knew not that the chieftain lay

Unconscious of his son.

“ Speak, father!” once again he cried,

“If I may yet be gone!

And” —but the booming shots replied,

And fast the flames rolled on.

Upon his brow he felt their breath,

And in his waving hair,

And looked from that lone post of death,

In still, yet brave despair;

And shouted but once more aloud,

“My father! must I stay?”

While o’er him fast, through sail and shroud,

The wreathing flres made way:

They wrapped the ship in splendour wild,

They caught the flag on high,

And streamed above the gallant child,

Like banners in the sky.

There came a burst of thunder sound,—

The boy!—oh, where was he?

Ask of the winds, that far around

With fragments strewed the sea,—

With mast, and helm, and pennon fair,

That well had borne their part!

But the noblest thing that perished there,

Was that young faithful heart!

— MRS. HEMANS

PRONUNCIATION

burn´-ing　chief´-tain　de-spair´　thun´-der

beau´-ti-ful　un-con´-scious　splen´-dour　frag´-ment

crea´-ture　boom´-ing　gal´-lant　no´-blest

he-ro´-ic　re-plied´　ban´-ners　per´-ished 8gPO9pWpe1ADpqA40g1lcCTrcW8QUFp9eDmCVker5lmeF+Jcbwf7VgunWd9PYVau