H. V. Ellis - Half-mast High lyrics

The fierce sun smote him and went glorying down, And ere the gloaming died his spirit fled; The southern night burst into stars o'erhead, Nor ruffled any wavelet to a frown; Till morning from beneath her golden crown Smiled on the half-mast ensign fluttering d**h To beating pulses and to bated breath, As if her smile could smile men's sorrow down. Slow tolls the bell, the slow procession creeps; Kind women's eyes are wet, hard men's are grave, A voice commits our brother to the deeps, A plash divides the hollow gulfing wave; Still plies the van, still on the vessel speeds; Nor ship, nor sea, nor sun, our sorrow heeds.