Drake's Drum Poem by Sir Henry Newbolt

Drake's Drum

Rating: 2.8


Drake he's in his hammock an' a thousand miles away,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)
Slung atween the round shot in Nombre Dios Bay,
An' dreamin' arl the time O' Plymouth Hoe.
Yarnder lumes the Island, yarnder lie the ships,
Wi' sailor lads a-dancing' heel-an'-toe,
An' the shore-lights flashin', an' the night-tide dashin',
He sees et arl so plainly as he saw et long ago.

Drake he was a Devon man, an' ruled the Devon seas,
(Capten, art tha' sleepin' there below?)
Roving' tho' his death fell, he went wi' heart at ease,
A' dreamin' arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
"Take my drum to England, hang et by the shore,
Strike et when your powder's runnin' low;
If the Dons sight Devon, I'll quit the port o' Heaven,
An' drum them up the Channel as we drumm'd them long ago."

Drake he's in his hammock till the great Armadas come,
(Capten, art tha sleepin' there below?)
Slung atween the round shot, listenin' for the drum,
An' dreamin arl the time o' Plymouth Hoe.
Call him on the deep sea, call him up the Sound,
Call him when ye sail to meet the foe;
Where the old trade's plyin' an' the old flag flyin'
They shall find him ware an' wakin', as they found him long ago!

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
John Parnham 23 November 2018

Learnt it as a boy.Never forgotten it. Every schoolboy should learn it, and be proud to recite it any anytime.

9 0 Reply
Margaret Cudlip 12 August 2019

We learned this poem at school in Barnstaple Devon sixty years ago. Pity it is being read by a computer.

8 0 Reply

BARNSTABLE IS ONE PLACE I'VE NEVER BEEN TO. NICE COUNTY

0 0

There will always be anEngland.

1 0 Reply
April May 01 January 2021

This is a poem my ninety year old husband often comes out with, usually first thing in the morning when getting dressed! ! !

5 0 Reply
Michael Emmer 15 August 2020

Great song sung by Peter Dawson and Charles Villiers Stanford. Hear it on YouTube

3 1 Reply
Rupert Bladon 11 April 2021

Also worth checking out John Shirley-Quirk!

0 0
RAYMOND F SHARP. 07 November 2019

I LEARNED THIS POEM 62 YEARS AGO AT CHANDOS BOY; S SCHOOL IN NETHERFIELD NOTTM

6 1 Reply
Robert Barry 23 June 2021

I learned it as a aing about 60 years ago in Bramcote Nottingham

1 0
Raymond Sharp 07 November 2019

I learned this poem when I was at school 62 years ago at Chandos secondary school in Netherfield Notts

2 0 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success