The other afternoon as I was settin’ on the quay
(As is my custom when the days is not to cold for me),
My back was warmin’ in te sun, an I was sort o’ glad—
When suddenly I see’d a sight that struck me mortal sad.
The tug “Defiance” come along— an she was not alone. . . .
Ye might as well ha’ took an’ hit my top-knot with a stone—
I tell ye ’twas a blow to me, it give my heart a stun—
The vessel that “Defiance towed was good old “Number One”!
I’d come to call her “Number One” because she was that old.
Her other name don’t matter now— ’twas painted oncet in gold
I think she was the oldest screw that traded from the Clyde;
She never traded far away, although the world’s so wide.
She wasn’t big, nor fine, nor fast-she had no fame at all,
Excep’ her funnel, which was most surprisin’ thin an’ tall.
She never got a lick o’ paint unless it was required
To keep her hull from rustin’— or, perhaps, from gettin’ tired.
But she was young when I was young. I see’d her launched the day
I finished my apprenticeship— I mind it was in May.
A thousand times I’ve see’d her since: I’ve watched her growin’ old,
An’ read her name in dirty white instead o’ splendid gold.
An’ when “Defiance” towed her past, she wasn’t under steam:
She moved as if she didn’t care— as if ’twas all a dream.
Two strangers stood upon her bridge: no others could I see. . . .
“She’s goin’ to be broken up!” said some one on the quay
Ah weell! some ships gets lost at sea, an’ some gets lost on shore,
An some puts out, an’ no man hears about them any more.
But somehow— all the years I watched her come an’ go
I never thought to see her pass so helpless an’ so slow.
Farewell, farewell (says I, at last), my good old “Number One,”
For all yer storms is over now, an’ all yer v’y’gin’ done
Ye’re goin’ to the scrap-heap, friend; an’ likkewise so am I. . . .
Farewell, farewell, old “Number One”— we all ha’ got to die.
(John Joy Bell)
More Poetry from John Joy Bell:
John Joy Bell Poems based on Topics: World, Sense & Perception, Sadness, Friendship, Past, Dreams, Gold, Youth- A Little Boys Ideas (John Joy Bell Poems)
- Souls Of The Ships (John Joy Bell Poems)
- A Mariner (John Joy Bell Poems)
- Song Of A Ship (John Joy Bell Poems)
- Fog Song Of The Cloch (John Joy Bell Poems)
- Song Of A Lighter (John Joy Bell Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: World Poems, Sadness Poems, Youth Poems, Sense & Perception Poems, Dreams Poems, Friendship Poems, Gold Poems, Past PoemsBased on Keywords: care-, towed, stone-, oncet, top-knot, surprisin, warmin, along-, scrap-heap, glad-, rustin