Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BALLAD OF THE GOLDEN VANITY, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BALLAD OF THE GOLDEN VANITY, by                    
First Line: It's I have got a ship in the north country
Last Line: And they sunk him in the lowlands low
Subject(s): Crimes & Criminals;sailing & Sailors


IT'S I have got a ship in the North Country,
She goes by the name of the Golden Vanity,
I'm afraid she will be taken by the Spanish galleon
As she sails on the Lowlands low.

Then up there stepped a little cabin boy,
Saying 'Master, what will you give me, if I will them destroy?'—
'I'll give you gold and silver, and you shall have my daughter
If you'll sink her in the Lowlands low!'

This boy he was undaunted and soon jumped in:
He leant upon his breast and so gallantly did swim;
He swam till he came to the Spanish galleon
As she lies in the Lowlands low.

This boy had an auger which bored two holes at once,
While some were playing cards, and the others playing dice:
He let the water in, and it dazzled in their eyes,
And he sunk her in the Lowlands low.

He leant upon his breast, and he swam back again;
'O, master, take me up, for I'm sure I shall be slain:
For I have offended the total of the crew,
And I've sunk her in the Lowlands low.'

'I will not take you up', the master he cried,
'I will not take you up', the captain he replied;
'I will shoot you, I will kill you, I will send you with the tide,
And I'll sink you in the Lowlands low.'

He leant upon his breast and swam round the starboard side,
His strength began to fail him, most bitterly he cried:
'O, messes, take me up, for I'm sure I shall be slain,
For I've sunk her in the Lowlands low.'

His messes took him up, and on the deck he died;
And then they wrapped him up in an old cow's hide;
They threw him overboard, to go with wind and tide,
And they sunk him in the Lowlands low.





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