Flying Dutchman

Old lady with a barrow; life near ending

Standing by the harbour wall; warm wishes sending

Children on the cold sea swell ---

Not fishers of men ---

Gone to chase away the last herring:

Come empty home again.

So come all you lovers of the good life

On your supermarket run ---

Set a sail of your own devising

And be there when the dutchman comes.

Wee girl in a straw hat: from far east warring

Sad cargo of an old ship: young bodies whoring

Slow ocean hobo --- ports closed to her crew

No hope of immigration --- keep on passing through.

So come all you lovers of the good life

Your children playing in the sun ---

Set a sympathetic flag a-flying

And be there when the dutchman comes.

Death grinning like a scarecrow --- flying dutchman

Seagull pilots flown from nowhere --- try and touch one

As she slips in on the full tide

And the harbour-master yells

All hands vanished with the captain ---

No one left, the tale to tell.



So come all you lovers of the good life

Look around you, can you see?

Staring ghostly in the mirror ---

It's the dutchman you will be

..floating slowly out to sea

In a misty misery.


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