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A Ballad or the French Fleet Lyrics by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Complete Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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A fleet with flags arrayed
       &nbsp Sailed from the port of Brest,
And the Admiral's ship displayed
       &nbsp The signal: "Steer southwest."
For this Admiral D'Anville
       &nbsp Had sworn by cross and crown
To ravage with fire and steel
       &nbsp Our helpless Boston Town.
There were rumors in the street,
       &nbsp In the houses there was fear
Of the coming of the fleet,
       &nbsp And the danger hovering near.
And while from mouth to mouth
       &nbsp Spread the tidings of dismay,
I stood in the Old South,
       &nbsp Saying humbly: "Let us pray!
"O Lord! we would not advise;
       &nbsp But if in thy Providence
A tempest should arise
       &nbsp To drive the French fleet hence,
And scatter it far and wide,
       &nbsp Or sink it in the sea,
We should be satisfied,
       &nbsp And thine the glory be."
This was the prayer I made,
       &nbsp For my soul was all on flame,
And even as I prayed
       &nbsp The answering tempest came;
It came with a mighty power,
       &nbsp Shaking the windows and walls,
And tolling the bell in the tower,
       &nbsp As it tolls at funerals.
The lightning suddenly
       &nbsp Unsheathed its flaming sword,
And I cried: "Stand still, and see
       &nbsp The salvation of the Lord!"
The heavens were black with cloud,
       &nbsp The sea was white with hail,
And ever more fierce and loud
       &nbsp Blew the October gale.
The fleet it overtook,
       &nbsp And the broad sails in the van
Like the tents of Cushan shook,
       &nbsp Or the curtains of Midian.
Down on the reeling decks
       &nbsp Crashed the o'erwhelming seas;
Ah, never were there wrecks
       &nbsp So pitiful as these!
Like a potter's vessel broke
       &nbsp The great ships of the line;
They were carried away as a smoke,
       &nbsp Or sank like lead in the brine.
O Lord! before thy path
       &nbsp They vanished and ceased to be,
When thou didst walk in wrath
       &nbsp With thine horses through the sea!
Credits
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

About “A Ballad or the French Fleet” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Read the complete lyrics to "A Ballad or the French Fleet" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow from the album "The Complete Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"A Ballad or the French Fleet" is performed by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. from the album "The Complete Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "A Ballad or the French Fleet", explore more songs by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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"A Ballad or the French Fleet" is credited to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"A Ballad or the French Fleet" appears on "The Complete Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow".

Visit the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow artist page at /artist/henry-wadsworth-longfellow for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.