Sea-Gulls of Manhattan + 

Children of the elemental mother, + 

Born upon some lonely island shore + 

Where the wrinkled ripples run and whisper, + 

Where the crested billows plunge and roar; + 

Long-winged, tireless roamers and adventurers, + 

Fearless breasters of the wind and sea, + 

In the far-off solitary places + 

I have seen you floating wild and free! + 

Here the high-built cities rise around you; + 

Here the cliffs that tower east and west, + 

Honeycombed with human habitations, + 

Have no hiding for the sea-bird’s nest: + 

Here the river flows begrimed and troubled; + 

Here the hurrying, panting vessels fume, + 

Restless, up and down the watery highway, + 

While a thousand chimneys vomit gloom. + 

Toil and tumult, conflict and confusion, + 

Clank and clamour of the vast machine + 

Human hands have built for human bondage⁠— + 

Yet amid it all you float serene; + 

Circling, soaring, sailing, swooping lightly + 

Down to glean your harvest from the wave; + 

In your heritage of air and water, + 

You have kept the freedom Nature gave. + 

Even so the wild-woods of Manhattan + 

Saw your wheeling flocks of white and gray; + 

Even so you fluttered, followed, floated, + 

Round the Half-Moon creeping up the bay; + 

Even so your voices creaked and chattered. + 

Laughing shrilly o’er the tidal rips, + 

While your black and beady eyes were glistening + 

Round the sullen British prison-ships. + 

Children of the elemental mother, + 

Fearless floaters ’mid the double blue, + 

From the crowded boats that cross the ferries + 

Many a longing heart goes out to you. + 

Though the cities climb and close around us, + 

Something tells us that our souls are free, + 

While the sea-gulls fly above the harbour, + 

While the river flows to meet the sea! + 