I YOU, you, if you shall fail to understand What England is, and what her all-in-all, On you will come the curse of all the land, Should this old England fall Which Nelson left so great. II His isle, the mightiest Ocean-power on earth, Our own fair isle, the lord of every sea -- Her fuller franchise -- what would that be worth -- Her ancient fame of Free -- Were she ... a fallen state? III Her dauntless army scatter'd, and so small, Her island - myriads fed from alien lands -- The fleet of England is her all-in-all; Her fleet is in your hands, And in her fleet her fate. IV You, you, that have the ordering of her fleet, If you should only compass her disgrace, When all men starve, the wild mob's million feet Will kick you from your place, But then too late, too late. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...SONGS FOR MY MOTHER: 2. HER HANDS by ANNA HEMPSTEAD BRANCH THE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES SOLDIER: TWENTIETH CENTURY by ISAAC ROSENBERG SUNRISE TRUMPETS by JOSEPH AUSLANDER THE STEAM-ENGINE: CANTO 6. ON THE CORK PACKET, 1837 by T. BAKER PEACE AND SHEPHERD by ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD |