"The Ship of State" (circa 1883)
Words by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882
Music by George Frederick Root, 1820-1895

[Source: pp.20-21 of "Naval Songs" compiled by S. B. Luce]

1.
[ALL]
Sail on, sail on, O Ship of State!
Sail on, O Union, strong and great;
Humanity, with all its fears,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate.
[Bass]
We know what Master laid thy keel,
[Baritone]
What Workman wrought thy ribs of steel,
[Tenor]
Who made each mast, and sail, and rope;
[ALL]
What anvils rang, what hammers beat;
In what a forge, in what a heat,
Were shaped the anchors of thy hope!

2.
[ALL]
Fear not each sudden sound and shock,
'Tis of the wave, and not the rock;
'Tis bur the flapping of the sail,
And not a rent made by the gale!
[Tenor and Baritone]
In spite of rock, and tempest's roar,
In spite of false lights on the shore,
[ALL]
Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea,
Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears,
Our faith, triumphant o'er our fears,
Are all with thee, are all with thee!