VAGRANT VERSE

Southland Times, Issue 18855, 22 June 1920, Page 4

VAGRANT VERSE

MY LOVE AND I WENT SAILING. (Written for the Southland Times.) My love and I went sailing, A-sailing out to sea; My love and I went sailing And merrily went we; Our sails were gleaming silver-whit* In glory of the morning light. My love and I went sailing The while the summer sun From furthest east to furthest west His golden circuit run; We told such tales as lovers do In books that tell us how to woo* Our captain was an albatross, A stout old skipper, he Knew every nook and cranny Of the mighty dancing sea; A splendid skipper, cool and brave, Who knew each mood of wind and wan, Our steersman was a penguin fat, Royal, he said, in boast; But anyhow all day he stuck Most faithful to his post; When ordered “Steady,” “Starboard,, port, He plied the helm without a snort. Our crew were gulls and mollyhawka Who knew each rope and sail, And dived and swam like anything Whene’er a fish showed tail. The gulls were slow, the mollies spry. But skipper fixed them with his eye. A stormy petrel crossed our track, Swifter than swiftest hawk, But skipper knew his man and soor Had felled him with a squack; So that rash petrel nevermore Will hear the raging tempests roar. My love and I went sailing Aback across the foam; My love and I went sailing To reach our own dear home, And when we reached the smooth whits sand We leaped on shore, hand clasped in hand. My love and I went sailing— Or was it all a dream ? For lo! the white-faced Lady Moon Has shot a pure white beam Upon my eiderdown, and I Have dolly smuggling closely by! —Robert Francuw