I’ve been dreamin’,
Of a randy, dandy clipper with her tops’ls set,
Pitchin’ heavy down the westin’ with the leeches wet.
Bill Newland, the old skipper, from his high bridge head,
Shoutin’ to us packet rats — an’ these the words he said:
“Hop along, now! Loose them ‘gallants! Skip aloft, now! Jump along!”
Oh, them packet rats were swearin’ an’ a-breakin’ into song!
Packet rats a-roarin’, “Ranzo,” rats a-singin’ “Roll an’ Go,”
Haulin’ on them ‘gallant braces, cryin’, “Blow, boys, blow!”
Let her blow for Frisco city!
Let the dandy clipper race!
For them swingin’ feet an’ pretty
Of the gals at Tony’s place.
Soon we’ll see old Tony smilin’,
Hear his girls begin to sing,
Hear old Billy Dick beguilin’
Music from a fiddle-string!
Oh, there’s drowned an’ perished clippers
An’ there’s rats that died —
But there’s gals wi’ flowered slippers
An’ their skirts flung wide!
Did you say there are no clippers? Did you say them days is done?
Days of packet rats an’ packets, an’ stars an’ moon an’ sun?
O’ lights upon the water, a-shinin’ on the sea?
My God, but I’m a packet rat!
What will become of me?
I’ve got to see tall clippers, I’ve got to sing an’ shout
When the ‘gallants are mastheaded and the jibs are runnin’ out.
I’ve got to roar “Ranzo” an’ “Blow, my bullies, blow!”
When the ice-cakes heap a-cracklin’, an’ the Horn is lost in snow.
I wants them lights by Frisco, an’ lights by Salem too,
An’ dandy skippers swearin’ at the signin’ of the crew.
Red Jacket’s gone? And Dancing Wave? Guidin’ Star as well?
Then what of Golden Era? . . . God help me! This is hell!
Good-by, farewell, kedge anchor! The shoals lie deep about;
The packet rats are singin’, an’ their chorus dyin’ out.
The clippers lie a-wastin’ where the westin’ sun burns red,
An’ the packet rats are restin’ in the havens of the dead.
Good-be to Dame Romancing an’ her dainty feathered frock!
Good-by to all the laughter at the swingin’ of the lock!
Good-by to capstan payments, good-by to ships at sea —
If the packets rest a-westin’ — ah — westin’s right for me!
(Bill Adams)
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Based on Topics: God Poems, Place Poems, Water Poems, Snow Poems, Cities Poems, Music Poems, Hell Poems, Laughter PoemsBased on Keywords: swingin, smilin, braces, frisco, clippers, gals, shoutin, leeches, cryin, bullies, tony