We were schooner-rigged and rakish
With a long and lissome hull
And we flew the pretty colors
Of the crossbones and the skull
The wind and sea were fair
We lay at anchor there
The stars burned in the air
When in the midnight dark
Our watcher saw a spark
Then as we looked amazed
Others and other blazed
Terror set them crazed
They ran down screaming—fire ships are coming! Wake!
Cast loose for crissake!
Eight fire ships coming on the lake
Look at their gleaming!
The English would not close
They fought us as they chose
Dealing us deadly blows—for several hours
And drove us north and now—another woe
A never ending gale of frost and snow
Now our hearts failed
They washed about the wet decks as we sailed
Desolate seas we sailed so grim and wide
With neither sun nor star—to be our guide
Defeat is bitter and the truth is hard
We are defeated—England has prevailed
This is your banner—which I could not guard
And this—is your crappy old sword that failed!
Down in her bunk, the beauty lay awake
Thinking of her unfitness for the sea
Each failure, each derision, each mistake
There in the life not made for such as she
The ship lay on her broadside—the wind’s sound
Had devilish malice, at having got her downed
How long the wind had blown, she could not tell
A moment now—was everlasting Hell
Down on the bloody deck! the captain screamed
The multitudinous little snowflakes sped
Her pain was real enough but all else seemed
Panting but full of life and eager eyed
The pain was stunning her and the wind went by
More heartbreak, said the mate—here, Beauty—try!
As if he got a message—hell, he’s gone
Here Beauty dances—I say it will go on!
Say, there’s a mort of wicked rogues
That lives in good reputes
I’m for drinking honestly and dying in my boots!
Green were her eyes and her hair was soft and bonny
Golden she was—like wild bee’s honey
And a fellow will forget—how a sleeper lies awake
Lonely in the night watch
Crying for his sake
We were schooner-rigged and rakish With a long and lissome hull And we flew the pretty colors Of the crossbones and the skull
The wind and sea were fair We lay at anchor there The stars burned in the air When in the midnight dark Our watcher saw a spark Then as we looked amazed Others and other blazed Terror set them crazed They ran down screaming—fire ships are coming! Wake! Cast loose for crissake! Eight fire ships coming on the lake Look at their gleaming!
The English would not close They fought us as they chose Dealing us deadly blows—for several hours And drove us north and now—another woe A never ending gale of frost and snow
Now our hearts failed They washed about the wet decks as we sailed Desolate seas we sailed so grim and wide With neither sun nor star—to be our guide Defeat is bitter and the truth is hard We are defeated—England has prevailed This is your banner—which I could not guard And this—is your crappy old sword that failed!
Down in her bunk, the beauty lay awake Thinking of her unfitness for the sea Each failure, each derision, each mistake There in the life not made for such as she The ship lay on her broadside—the wind’s sound Had devilish malice, at having got her downed
How long the wind had blown, she could not tell A moment now—was everlasting Hell Down on the bloody deck! the captain screamed The multitudinous little snowflakes sped Her pain was real enough but all else seemed Panting but full of life and eager eyed
The pain was stunning her and the wind went by More heartbreak, said the mate—here, Beauty—try! As if he got a message—hell, he’s gone Here Beauty dances—I say it will go on!
Say, there’s a mort of wicked rogues That lives in good reputes I’m for drinking honestly and dying in my boots! Green were her eyes and her hair was soft and bonny Golden she was—like wild bee’s honey And a fellow will forget—how a sleeper lies awake Lonely in the night watch Crying for his sake
[paraphrased]