Poem by Henry Lawson

The Ships that Won’t Go Down

We hear a great commotion 
’Bout the ship that comes to grief, 
That founders in mid-ocean, 
Or is driven on a reef; 
Because it’s cheap and brittle 
A score of sinners drown. 
But we hear but mighty little 
Of the ships that won’t go down. 

Here’s honour to the builders – 
The builders of the past; 
Here’s honour to the builders 
That builded ships to last; 
Here’s honour to the captain, 
And honour to the crew; 
Here’s double-column headlines 
To the ships that battle through. 

They make a great sensation 
About famous men that fail, 
That sink a world of chances 
In the city morgue or gaol, 
Who drink, or blow their brains out, 
Because of ”Fortune’s frown”. 
But we hear far too little 
Of the men who won’t go down. 

The world is full of trouble, 
And the world is full of wrong, 
But the heart of man is noble, 
And the heart of man is strong! 
They say the sea sings dirges, 
But I would say to you 
That the wild wave’s song’s a paean 
For the men that battle through.

1. Up the Country
2. Wide Spaces
3. Eureka
4. Since Then
5. The Wander-Light

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