Christmas at Sea

[Verse]

All day we fought the tides between the North

Head and the South

All day we hauled the frozen sheets to escape the

Storms wet mouth

All day as cold as charity, in bitter pain and

Dread

For very life and nature we tacked from head

To head

We gave the South a wider berth, for there the

Tide-race roared

But every tack we made we brought the North

Head close aboard

We saw the cliffs and houses and the breakers

Running high

And the coastguard in his garden, his glass

Against his eye

The frost was on the village roofs as white as

Ocean foam

The good red fires were burning bright in every

Long-shore home

The windows sparkled clear and the chimneys

Volleyed out

And I vow we sniffed the victuals as the vessel

Went about

The bells upon the church were rung with a

Mighty jovial cheer

For its just that I should tell you how (of all days

In the year)

This day of our adversity was blessed Christmas

Morn

And the house above the coastguards was the

House where I was born

And well I knew the talk they had, the talk that

Was of me

Of the shadow on the household and the son that

Went to sea

And, oh, the wicked fool I seemed, in every kind

Of way

To be here and hauling frozen ropes on blessed

Christmas Day