Explore "William Brown" by James Whitcomb Riley on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
"He bore the name of William Brown" -- / His name, at least, did not go down / With him that day / He went the way / Of certain death where duty lay.
He looked his fate full in the face -- / He saw his watery resting-place / Undaunted, and / With firmer hand / Held others' hopes in sure command. --
The hopes of full three hundred lives -- / Aye, babes unborn, and promised wives! / "The odds are dread," / He must have said, / "Here, God, is one poor life instead. "
No time for praying overmuch -- / No time for tears, or woman's touch / Of tenderness, / Or child's caress -- / His last "God bless them! " stopped at "bless" --
Thus man and engine, nerved with steel, / Clasped iron hands for woe or weal, / And so went down / Where dark waves drown / All but the name of William Brown.