Sammo
New member
Original and touching this poem was written by an old merchant seaman of 75 who just calls himself “salty” I have his permission to reproduce it here.
…………….
“Grandad”, says the little boy, climbing onto the old fellas lap, “When you was a sailerman did you ever go anywhere?”
Well son says he,
I've sailed the mighty oceans, on both sides of the line
I've seen the Lorelei up the reaches of the Rhine
I've sailed beneath Orion's Belt and the Southern Cross
Where flying fishes play beneath the mighty albatross
I've sailed right up the Hugli to Calcutta's Kiddapore
And crossed the Indian Ocean to the Port of Singapore
I've watched a thousand sunsets, to which no artist could equate
Been round the horn to 'Frisco and through the Golden Gate
I've seen the sea lit up at night in phosphorescent green
St Elmo's fire atop the mast, now there's a ghostly scene
I've sailed the great St Laurence in Spring, Summer and Fall
And watched the seasons changing on my trips to Montreal.
I've sailed the Rejang River to the heart of Borneo
And sailed past a shattered island - the remains of Krakatau
I've fed the mules in Panama when I've peggied for the sailors
I've seen junks and dhows way out at sea and many ocean whalers
I've climbed the Statue of Liberty on stairs that turn and twist
And seen the town of New Orleans through a Mississippi mist
I've been to New Caledonia where tribesmen file their teeth
And their hair is henna dyed and they never eat roast beef!
I've crossed the Bar at Sapele - in the chains I swung the lead
And was bitten by mosquitoes and so finished up in bed
I've sailed to Valparaiso and seen a thousand birds in flight
And also ships up in the sky - a trick of heat and light!
I've seen great icebergs passing by and heard the distant 'growlers'
I've heard a lot of seamens' tales and some of them were howlers.
I came back to the Mersey, never more to roam
And there I met and married Nan and we made ourselves a home.
..........
…………….
“Grandad”, says the little boy, climbing onto the old fellas lap, “When you was a sailerman did you ever go anywhere?”
Well son says he,
I've sailed the mighty oceans, on both sides of the line
I've seen the Lorelei up the reaches of the Rhine
I've sailed beneath Orion's Belt and the Southern Cross
Where flying fishes play beneath the mighty albatross
I've sailed right up the Hugli to Calcutta's Kiddapore
And crossed the Indian Ocean to the Port of Singapore
I've watched a thousand sunsets, to which no artist could equate
Been round the horn to 'Frisco and through the Golden Gate
I've seen the sea lit up at night in phosphorescent green
St Elmo's fire atop the mast, now there's a ghostly scene
I've sailed the great St Laurence in Spring, Summer and Fall
And watched the seasons changing on my trips to Montreal.
I've sailed the Rejang River to the heart of Borneo
And sailed past a shattered island - the remains of Krakatau
I've fed the mules in Panama when I've peggied for the sailors
I've seen junks and dhows way out at sea and many ocean whalers
I've climbed the Statue of Liberty on stairs that turn and twist
And seen the town of New Orleans through a Mississippi mist
I've been to New Caledonia where tribesmen file their teeth
And their hair is henna dyed and they never eat roast beef!
I've crossed the Bar at Sapele - in the chains I swung the lead
And was bitten by mosquitoes and so finished up in bed
I've sailed to Valparaiso and seen a thousand birds in flight
And also ships up in the sky - a trick of heat and light!
I've seen great icebergs passing by and heard the distant 'growlers'
I've heard a lot of seamens' tales and some of them were howlers.
I came back to the Mersey, never more to roam
And there I met and married Nan and we made ourselves a home.
..........
