Wi’ my singular song I reach Loch Long,
An’ waken the Holy Loch,
An’ shout at Dunoon an’ the firth below,
Assistin’ all vessels that come an’ go! —
An ye call me the horrible Cloch! —
The horrible howlin’,
Terrible yowlin’,
Slumber destroyin’,
Nerve aggrannoyin’,
Saddenin’, maddenin’
Cloch! —
Ye do! —
Ye call me the horrible Cloch!
Gropin’ up the Firth o’ Clyde the laden liner came.
Fog was thick enough to choke a million candle flame,
Cloch was singin’ powerfully beyond her starboard bow—
Not a soul on board made fun about “yon crazy cow.”
Ready for a spell in dock the big three-master swam
Trustin’ to the little tug that spluttered thro’ the calm.
Cloch was singin’ cheerfully. . . . An’ after ninety days
Sure the Cloch is grand to hear in ninety different ways !
Good old lighter, rantin’ home (at seven knots an hour),
Not an ounce o’ coal in her except to give her power.
Cloch was singin’ warnin’ly, an’ lighter seemed to say :
“Battleships an’ Cruisers! oh, keep out the Mary’s way!”
Railway steamer makin’ all the speed she could afford.
Fully three-an’-sixpence worth o’ passengers on board.
Cloch was singin’ heartily to guide them ‘cross the Firth—
Not a word o’ thanks from all the three-an’-sixpence worth !
Wi’ my singular song I reach Loch Long,
An’ waken the Holy Loch,
An’ shout at Dunoon an’ the firth below,
Assistin’ all vessels that come an’ go !-
An’ ye call me the horrible Cloch !-
The horrible howlin’,
Terrible yowlin’,
Slumber destroying
Nerve aggrannoyin’,
Saddenin’, maddenin’
Cloch !—
Ye do!—
Ye call me the horrible Cloch !
(John Joy Bell)
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Based on Topics: Soul Poems, Power Poems, Cows PoemsBased on Keywords: howlin, warnin, cruisers, battleships, rantin, powerfully, trustin, yowlin, spluttered, bow-, gropin