Christmas At Sea Sting
All day we fought the tides
between the North
Head and the South
All day we hauled the frozen
sheets to scape the
storm's wet mouth
All day as cold as charity
in bitter pain and dread
For very life and nature
we tacked from head to head
<interlude DF>
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
<interlude DF>
The frost was on the village
roofs as white as ocean foam
The good red fi res
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
<interlude DF>
The bells upon the church
were rung with a
mighty jovial cheer
For it's 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 coastguard's was the
house where I was born
<interlude DF>
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