The Sailor's Consolation (a poem)

[Bajansailor]

The Sailor\'s Consolation (a poem)

This is the Poem of the Week in the current issue of the free weekly e-zine 'Bow Wave' (www.wavyline.com)

'The Sailor's Consolation'

One night came on a hurricane,
The sea was mountains rolling,
When Barney Buntline turned his quid,
And said to Billy Bowling:
"A strong nor-wester’s blowing Bill;
Hark! Don’t ye hear it roar now?
Lord help ‘em, how I pitites all
Unhappy folks on shore now!"

"Fool-hardy chaps who live in town,
What danger they are all in,
And now are quaking in their beds,
For fear the roof should fall in:
Poor creatures, how they envies us,
And wishes, I’ve a notion,
For our good luck, in such a storm,
To be upon the ocean."

"But as for them who’re out all day,
On business from their houses
And late at night are coming home,
To cheer the babes and spouses;
While you and I, Bill, on the deck,
Are comfortably lying,
My eyes! What tiles and chimney-pots
About their heads are flying!"

"And very often we have heard
How men are killed and undone,
By overturns of carriages,
By thieves and fires in London.
We know what risks all landsmen run,
From noblemen to tailors;
Then, Bill, let us thank Providence
That you and I are sailors!"

Charles Dibdin

 

[PeteCooper]

Re: The Sailor\'s Consolation (a poem)

I had to learn that when I was 9 or 10 and recite it to the rest of the class!