Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900.
By Harriet PrescottSpofford612 Phantoms All
C
You apparitions of the Spanish main,
Who dyed the jewelled depths blood-red with slaughters,
You things of crime and gain!
Rose the low purple of a new world’s shore;
Come from your dreams of desperate sea-faring
And sun your sails once more.
Santa Maria, crusted with salt stains;
Come quick, you black and treacherous craft that carried
Columbus home in chains!
Proud with a pride that only homeward yearned,
Swim darkly up and gather from your ashes,
You ships that Cortes burned!
Undazzled Balboa planted o’er the plain,
The lonely plain of the unguessed Pacific,
The standard of great Spain.
Lurking and hiding thrice a hundred years,
Figure again your mad and merry wrestles,
Beaks of the buccaneers!
Ogeron with his headsman and his priest,
Where Limousin with treasure in his bosom
Dreamed, and in dreaming ceased.
Come, with the bubble-rafts where men swept down
Along the foam and fall of mighty rivers
To sack the isthmian town!
In one great furtive squadron move, you host
That took to death and drowning those free-lances,
The Brethren of the Coast!
Come, L’Olonnois and Davila, again,
Come, you great ships of Montbar the Destroyer,
Of Morgan and his men!
Dashing in haste the swifter fate to meet,
Come from your wrecks on haunted keys and islands,
Cervera’s valiant fleet!
O silent escort, follow in full train
This passing phantom of an ancient glory,
The Navy of Old Spain!