THREE GOOD SHIPS.

THREE good ships came sailing in,
Long ago, ay, long ago –
Three good ships came sailing in,
So early in the morning.
And all the winds to the shore did blow,
And all the sails were as white as snow,
So early in the morning.

Three good ships so brave and new,
Long ago, ay, long ago,
Three good ships so brave and new,
Early in the morning.
And the sea was smooth and the sky was blue,
And every soul on board was true,
Early in the morning.

Sailing over the silver sea,
Long ago, ay, long ago,
Freighted with freight that was all for me,
Early in the morning.
And “Hope” and “Faith,” they were stout and tall,
But “Love” was the best ship of them all,
Early in the morning.

Three good ships a-sailing in,
Long ago, ay, long ago,
Three good ships a-sailing in,
Early in the morning;
But there were breakers to be crossed,
And one of the three good ships was lost,
Early in the morning.

Two good ships a-sailing in,
Slow and sad, and sad and slow,
Two good ships a-sailing in,
Through the cloudy morning;
For air and sky were all a-frown,
And of the two ships one went down,
In the mournful morning.

Sailing over the solemn sea,
Through the foam, the cold white foam,
One good ship is left to me,
Far away from the morning.
Hope and Love, they both are gone,
But Faith is sailing sadly on,
Toward the eternal morning.

Alice Cary.

By Alice Cary (1820–1871) American poet, and sister to fellow poet Phoebe Cary (1824–1871).