Good of the chaplain to enter Lone Bay And down on his marrowbones here and pray For the likes just o' me, Billy Budd. -- But, look: Through the port comes the moonshine astray! It tips the guard's cutlass and silvers this nook; But 'twill die in the dawning of Billy's last day. A jewel-block they'll make of me tomorrow, Pendant pearl from the yardarm-end Like the eardrop I gave to Bristol Molly -- O, 'tis me, not the sentence they'll suspend. Ay, ay, all is up; and I must up too, Early in the morning, aloft from alow. On an empty stomach now never it would do. They'll give me a nibble -- bit o' biscuit ere I go. Sure, a messmate will reach me the last parting cup; But, turning heads away from the hoist and the belay, Heaven knows who will have the running of me up! No pipe to those halyards. -- But aren't it all a sham? A blur's in my eyes; it is dreaming that I am. A hatchet to my hawser? All adrift to go? The drum roll to grog, and Billy never know? But Donald he has promised to stand by the plank; So I'll shake a friendly hand ere I sink. But -- no! It is dead then I'll be, come to think. I remember Taff the Welshman when he sank. And his cheek it was like the budding pink. But me they'll lash in hammock, drop me deep. Fathoms down, fathoms down, how I'll dream fast asleep. I feel it stealing now. Sentry, are you there? Just ease these darbies at the wrist, And roll me over fair! I am sleepy, and the oozy weeds about me twist.
7 Songs by David Diamond
Song Cycle by David Leo Diamond (1915 - 2005)
?. Billy in the Darbies  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
Authorship:
- by Herman Melville (1819 - 1891), "Billy in the Darbies", appears in Billy-Budd, first published 1924
See other settings of this text.
Note: "Darbies" - British slang for handcuffs.Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
?. Four uncles
Language: English
my uncle . . . . . . . . . .— The rest of this text is not
currently in the database but will be
added as soon as we obtain it. —
Authorship:
- by E. E. (Edward Estlin) Cummings (1894 - 1962), appears in is 5, first published 1926, copyright ©
See other settings of this text.
This text may be copyright, so we will not display it until we obtain permission to do so or discover it is public-domain.Total word count: 283