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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
POOR JACK, by CHARLES DIBDIN Poet's Biography First Line: Go patter to lubbers and swabs, do ye see Last Line: Will look out a good berth for poor jack! Alternate Author Name(s): Dibdin, Charles Isaac Mungo; Dibdin, Charles, Jr. Subject(s): Sea; Ocean | |||
GO, patter to lubbers and swabs, do ye see, 'Bout danger, and fear, and the like; A tight-water boat and good sea-room give me, And it a'n't to a little I'll strike. Though the tempest topgallant-masts smack smooth should smite, And shiver each splinter of wood, -- Clear the deck, stow the yards, and bouse everything tight, And under reefed foresail we'll scud: Avast! nor don't think me a milksop so soft To be taken for trifles aback; For they say there 's a Providence sits up aloft, To keep watch for the life of poor Jack! I heard our good chaplain palaver one day About souls, heaven, mercy, and such; And, my timbers! what lingo he'd coil and belay; Why, 't was just all as one as High Dutch; For he said how a sparrow can't founder, d'ye see, Without orders that come down below; And a many fine things that proved clearly to me That Providence takes us in tow: "For," says he, do you mind me, "let storms e'er so oft Take the topsails of sailors aback, There's a sweet little cherub that sits up aloft, To keep watch for the life of poor Jack!" I said to our Poll, -- for, d'ye see, she would cry, -- When last we weighed anchor for sea, "What argufies snivelling and piping your eye? Why, what a blamed fool you must be! Can't you see, the world's wide, and there's room for us all, Both for seamen and lubbers ashore? And if to old Davy I should go, friend Poll, You never will hear of me more. What then? All's a hazard: come, don't be so soft: Perhaps I may laughing come back; For, d'ye see, there's a cherub sits smiling aloft, To keep watch for the life of poor Jack!" D'ye mind me, a sailor should be every inch All as one as a piece of the ship, And with her brave the world, not offering to flinch From the moment the anchor's a-trip. As for me, in all weathers, all times, sides, and ends, Naught's a trouble from duty that springs, For my heart is my Poll's, and my rhino's my friend's, And as for my will, 't is the king's. Even when my time comes, ne'er believe me so soft As for grief to be taken aback; For the same little cherub that sits up aloft Will look out a good berth for poor Jack! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HALL OF OCEAN LIFE by JOHN HOLLANDER JULY FOURTH BY THE OCEAN by ROBINSON JEFFERS BOATS IN A FOG by ROBINSON JEFFERS CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE FIGUREHEAD by LEONIE ADAMS TOM BOWLING ['S EPITAPH] by CHARLES DIBDIN |
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