ThejViking Woman’s Farewell 
By Margaret Sperry 
Gram and I sail out! 
Hear the black waves roar! 
Fm off to sail upon the sea; 
Pull rope, shift sail, draw oar. 
As well as you, my men! 
Laugh not! Jeer not! 
My anger strikes as lightning at the mast . 
You whimpering wives! 
You shivering women-souls! 
When the fight is on 
And salt and blood , and sea and sail 
Are mad-spun whirls, 
I will be there to hiss true spears; 
They'll pierce Norn-fated flesh! 
The sea: 
Beat of sun upon a blood-hot deck; 
And ring of battle, shattering the sky . 
I go to death? I do not die! 
What if this body fall? 
My Gram will carve me in a figure-head 
Wherein I yet may ride 
Forever and forever through the seas! 
Face to wind, eye on wave, breast to storm; 
Flame-eyed, Fll shrivel danger 
That would strike my Gram, 
For he must live! 
And now, farewell! 
You puling women-stay-at-homes! 
My curse shall blast you all 
If you dare pray or weep! 
I need no tears of yours. 
No, none! 
With joy I go and glad 
To greet the stinging surge 
Of gray and golden seas! 
