Long Live the Breezy Swan

{spoken over solo lute} She was cheap for a reason.

Oswyn stood upon the dock And swore the hull was sound

Though half her boards were drinking sea And one mast leaned aground

Three hundred bright upon the board Nine hundred still was due For

the finest ship in all Sea Break If none of that was

true

Patch her ribs and tar her seams Trust in rope and sailors’

dreams Raise the cloth and pray at dawn Long live the Breezy

Swan

Hammer high and curse the rain Fix the thing,

then fix again Should she sink,

we’ll carry on Long live the Breezy Swan

Draven struck the stubborn nails As though they were his foes

Nora watched the waterline And told him where it rose

Evergreen found paint enough To hide each rotten scar Then someone asked

which way was north And no one answered far

Patch her ribs and tar her seams Trust in rope and sailors’

dreams Raise the cloth and pray at dawn Long live the Breezy

Swan

Hammer high and curse the rain Fix the thing,

then fix again Should she sink,

we’ll carry on

Long live the Breezy Swan

One day passed in splintered wood The next in pitch and twine

By evening on the final day She almost looked seaworthy fine

They loaded hope beside the ale And debts beside the bread

For wiser folk remain ashore And heroes sail instead

{whistle solo} A perfect ship remembers none

Who crossed the waves aboard

But every plank upon the Swan

Would learn to fear its lord

Patch her ribs and tar her seams Trust in rope and sailors’

dreams

Raise the cloth and pray at dawn Long live the Breezy Swan

Wind behind and land withdrawn Sing until the night is gone Broken,

bought, and sailing on

Long live the Breezy Swan

{lute fades out} Still taking water?

A little. {laughter}