Classic Poem

When the anchor's weigh'd and the ship's unmoored,
And the landsmen lag behind, sir,
The sailor joyful skips aboard,
And, swearing, prays for a wind, sir!

Towing here ,
Yehoing there ,
Steadily, readily ,
Cheerily, merrily ,
Still from care and thinking free ,
Is a sailor's life at sea .

When we sail with a fresh'ning breeze,
And the landsmen all grow sick, sir,
The sailor lolls, with his mind at ease,
And the song and the can go quick, sir!

Laughing here ,
Quaffing there ,
Steadily, readily, etc. ,

When the wind at night whistles o'er the deep,
And sings to the landsmen dreary,
The sailor fearless goes to sleep,
Or takes his watch most cheery!

Boozing here ,
Snoozing there ,
Steadily, readily, etc.

When the sky grows black and the wind blows hard,
And the landsmen skulk below, sir,
Jack mounts up to the top-sail yard,
And turns his quid as he goes, sir!

Hauling here ,
Bawling there ,
Steadily, readily, etc.

When the foaming waves run mountains high,
And the landsmen cry, " All's gone, sir, "
The sailor hangs 'twixt sea and sky,
And he jokes with Davy Jones, sir!

Dashing here ,
Clashing there ,
Steadily, readily, etc.

When the ship, d'ye see, becomes a wreck,
And the landsmen hoist the boat, sir,
The sailor scorns to quit the deck,
While a single plank's afloat, sir!

Swearing here ,
Tearing there ,
Steadily, readily ,
Cheerily, merrily ,
Still from care and thinking free ,
Is a sailor's life at sea .