{"id":"01KG8AK1E21S5YCMAZKNV49YJ4","cid":"bafkreiav35bs4sqe6eufsycviklvzzxaejfapegg57w6bila7tztk33mwq","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":1016,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:50.352Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J19Y3FNVN5KWASY78BP4","start_line":909,"text":"The herds of clouds with bellowings go:\r\nThe black ship rears—beset—harassed,\r\nThen plunges far with luminous antlers vast.\r\n\r\nIn trim betimes they turn from land,\r\nSome shivered sails and spars they stow;\r\nOne watch, dismissed, they troll the can,\r\nWhile loud the billow thumps the bow—\r\nVies with the fist that smites the board,\r\nObstreperous at each reveller’s jovial word.\r\n\r\nOf royal oak by storms confirmed,\r\nThe tested hull her lineage shows:\r\nVainly the plungings whelm her prow—\r\nShe rallies, rears, she sturdier grows:\r\nEach shot-hole plugged, each storm-sail home,\r\nWith batteries housed she rams the watery dome.\r\n\r\nDIM seen adrift through driving scud,\r\nThe wan moon shows in plight forlorn;\r\nThen, pinched in visage, fades and fades\r\nLike to the faces drowned at morn,\r\nWhen deeps engulfed the flag-ship’s crew,\r\nAnd, shrilling round, the inscrutable haglets flew.\r\n\r\nAnd still they fly, nor now they cry,\r\nBut constant fan a second wake,\r\nUnflagging pinions ply and ply,\r\nAbreast their course intent they take;\r\nTheir silence marks a stable mood,\r\nThey patient keep their eager neighborhood.\r\n\r\nPlumed with a smoke, a confluent sea,\r\nHeaved in a combing pyramid full,\r\nSpent at its climax, in collapse\r\nDown headlong thundering stuns the hull:\r\nThe trophy drops; but, reared again,\r\nShows Mars’ high-altar and contemns the main.\r\n\r\nREBUILT it stands, the brag of arms,\r\nTransferred in site—no thought of where\r\nThe sensitive needle keeps its place,\r\nAnd starts, disturbed, a quiverer there;\r\nThe helmsman rubs the clouded glass—\r\nPeers in, but lets the trembling portent pass.\r\n\r\nLet pass as well his shipmates do\r\n(Whose dream of power no tremors jar)\r\nFears for the fleet convoyed astern:\r\n“Our flag they fly, they share our star;\r\nSpain’s galleons great in hull are stout:\r\nManned by our men—like us they’ll ride it out.”\r\n\r\nTonight’s the night that ends the week—\r\nEnds day and week and month and year:\r\nA fourfold imminent flickering time,\r\nFor now the midnight draws anear:\r\nEight bells! and passing-bells they be—\r\nThe Old year fades, the Old Year dies at sea.\r\n\r\nHe launched them well. But shall the New\r\nRedeem the pledge the Old Year made,\r\nOr prove a self-asserting heir?\r\nBut healthy hearts few qualms invade:\r\nBy shot-chests grouped in bays ’tween guns\r\nThe gossips chat, the grizzled, sea-beat ones.\r\n\r\nAnd boyish dreams some graybeards blab:\r\n“To sea, my lads, we go no more\r\nWho share the Acapulco prize;\r\nWe’ll all night in, and bang the door;\r\nOur ingots red shall yield us bliss:\r\nLads, golden years begin to-night with this!”\r\n\r\nReleased from deck, yet waiting call,\r\nGlazed caps and coats baptized in storm,\r\nA watch of Laced Sleeves round the board\r\nDraw near in heart to keep them warm:\r\n“Sweethearts and wives!” clink, clink, they meet,\r\nAnd, quaffing, dip in wine their beards of sleet.\r\n“Ay, let the star-light stay withdrawn,\r\nSo here her hearth-light memory fling,\r\nSo in this wine-light cheer be born,\r\nAnd honor’s fellowship weld our ring—\r\nHonor! our Admiral’s aim foretold:\r\n\r\n_A tomb or a trophy,_ and lo, ’t is a trophy and gold!”\r\nBut he, a unit, sole in rank,\r\nApart needs keep his lonely state,\r\nThe sentry at his guarded door\r\nMute as by vault the sculptured Fate;\r\nBelted he sits in drowsy light,\r\nAnd, hatted, nods—the Admiral of the White.\r\n\r\nHe dozes, aged with watches passed—\r\nYears, years of pacing to and fro;\r\nHe dozes, nor attends the stir\r\nIn bullioned standards rustling low,\r\nNor minds the blades whose secret thrill\r\nPerverts overhead the magnet’s Polar will:—\r\n\r\nLESS heeds the shadowing three that play\r\nAnd follow, follow fast in wake,\r\nUntiring wing and lidless eye—\r\nAbreast their course intent they take;\r\nOr sigh or sing, they hold for good\r\nThe unvarying flight and fixed inveterate mood.\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJF445GKV07TRD6PPVM7Q","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19Y3FNVN5KWASY78BP4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AK0QSXB4CFYYFJZNPDKC8","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AK1DVRNMBXRN6D0SFBZ8X","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:51.234Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:47:53.276Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}