Casabianca

By Elizabeth Bishop

Love's the boy stood on the burning deck

trying to recite `The boy stood on

the burning deck.' Love's the son

  stood stammering elocution

  while the poor ship in flames went down.

Love's the obstinate boy, the ship,

even the swimming sailors, who

would like a schoolroom platform, too,

  or an excuse to stay

  on deck. And love's the burning boy.

This poem is based upon Casabianca by Felicia Dorothea Hemans http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/26070 JS