The Wreckers
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The Wreckers
Chorus:
Give us a little wreck, oh Lord,
Hal-a-loo, hal-a-loo;
Give us a little wreck, oh Lord,
Glory-hal-a-loo-ya!
Give us a wreck or two, Good Lord.
For winters in Tops'il Tickle be hard
With gray-frost creepin' like mortal sin
And pershin' lack of bread in the bin.
A grand rich wreck, we do humbly pray,
Bursting aboard at the break of day
An' hoven clear 'crost Tops'il Reef,
With victuals an' gear to beguile our grief. (CHO)
God of reefs an' tide and sky,
Heed to our needs and hark to our cry!
Bread by the bag an' beef by the cask
Ease for sore bellies is all we ask.
One grand wreck – maybe two?
With gear an' victuals to see us through
'Til spring starts up at the break of day
An' fish strike back into Tops'il Bay. (CHO)
One rich wreck for Thy hand be strong!
A barque or a brig from up-along,
Bemused by the twisting tides, Oh Lord!
For winters in Tops'il Tickle be hard.
Loud an' long will we sing ye praise,
Merciful Fadder, of ancient days,
Master of fog an' tide and reef!
Heave us a wreck to beguile our grief. (CHO 2X)
Amen!
Originally published in The Lost Shipmate: Poems of the Sea, ©1934
From The Sea, Ships and Sailors, edited by William Cole, Viking Press, 1967, p. 127.
Give us a wrack or two, Good Lard,
For winter in Tops’il Tickle bes hard,
Wid grey frost creepin’ like mortal sin
And perishin’ lack of bread in the bin.
A grand, rich wrack, us do humbly pray,
Busted abroad at the break o’ day
An’ hove clear in ’crost Tops’il Reef,
Wid victuals an’ gear to beguile our grief.
God of reefs an’ tides an’ sky,
Heed Ye our need an’ hark to our cry!
Bread by the bag an’ beef by the cask.
Ease for sore bellies bes all we ask.
One grand wrack—or maybe two?—
Wid gear an’ victuals to see us through
’Til Spring starts up like the leap of day
An’ the fish strike back into Tops’il Bay.
One rich wrack—for Thy hand bes strong!
A barque or a brig from up-along
Bemused by Thy twisty tides, O Lard!
For winter in Tops’il Tickle bes hard.
Loud an’ long will us sing Yer praise,
Marciful Fadder, O ancient of Days,
Master of fog an’ tide an’ reef!
Heave us a wrack to beguile our grief. Amen.
Chorus and tune by Mike Kennedy, ©2009, recorded 10/25/12
The header graphic is painted by George Morland and is titled "The Wreckers," 1775.
Boston Museum of Fine Art, Boston, Massachusetts.