Students seem to have difficulty with this first poem in 3.05.

What you need to know about this

poem is while Holmes was studying law at Harvard, he became aware of the US government's
plan to destroy the American warship Constitution. This inspired him to write the famous poem,
"Old Ironsides," which ended up saving the old Navy war vessel. Below, I’ve put my thoughts
or explanations of things in red. Use these thoughts to help you sort through the poem and its
meaning, so you can answer the 4 questions on this particular poem.

OLD IRONSIDES The name of a famous ship…this poem is about a ship scheduled to
be destroyed.

By Oliver Wendell Holmes

September 16, 1830

1Ay, tear her tattered ensign down! An ensign is a flag. The first four lines are talking
2Long has it waved on high, about the ship’s flag.
3And many an eye has danced to see
4That banner in the sky; What part of the ship is the banner in the sky?
5Beneath it rung the battle shout, It refers to the flag again. So beneath the flag they
6And burst the cannon's roar; shouted in battle and the cannon roared.
7The meteor of the ocean air What is the meteor of the ocean air? Hint: It’s not the flag.
8Shall sweep the clouds no more.

9Her deck, once red with heroes' blood,

10Where knelt the vanquished foe,
11When winds were hurrying o'er the flood,
12And waves were white below,
13No more shall feel the victor's tread, A victor is the one who wins the battle. Tread is
14Or know the conquered knee; footsteps.
15The harpies of the shore shall pluck Harpies are greedy flying creatures in Greek
mythology, which have bodies of vultures and heads of women. The name meant "snatchers" or
"robbers." Who is he calling harpies? They are on the shore snatching and robbing something
from the ship. Who are they, and why does he call them that?
16The eagle of the sea! What is the eagle of the sea?

17Oh, better that her shattered bulk Bulk is referring to the large size of the ship…all its
18Should sink beneath the wave; body.
19Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
20And there should be her grave;
21Nail to the mast her holy flag,
22Set every threadbare sail,
23And give her to the god of storms,
24The lightning and the gale! Why does he seem to say that he thinks the ship should be sunk at
the end? He thinks sinking the ship would be better than what fate for it?

Lines 17-24 describe what the author thinks should happen to the ship. What does it mean to
give her to the god of storms and have her shattered bulk sink beneath the wave and there be her
grave?