TRUE BLUE
Blue is the sea we sail on,
And blue is the sky above,
And blue are the eyes
As sea or skies
Of the maiden whom I love:
And blue is the flag we’re under,
And blue is the coat I wear;
But brighter the blue,
And deeper the hue
In the eyes which I hold so dear!
Bluer and brighter and sweeter,
Fonder and fair and as true;
Oh it’s blue love and true love for ever!
And God bless the beautiful blue!
Now supper being over, every man
Lighted his pipe or called for a cigar,
Lolled in his chair—and all again began
To order “something lively” from the bar.
Jack Saltonstall, intent on keeping peace,
Waved a great South Sea club, and said, “I’m sent
By Providence to act as your police;”
And at the table sat as President.
He was a man of pleasing dignity,
And all allowed he would a captain be,
Calming all quarrels with a word and wink;
He had hot rum and lemon for his drink.
And as he sat in state, with the club of peace
Which he had taken from the chimney-piece,
He said to us: “What tales this bat could tell
Of many a battle—many a busted shell,
And murdered victims by the surfy shore,
And cani-bally feasts when all was o’er!”
Quoth Sam of Jersey, “I hev seen such things
Among them natives, ordered by their kings,
As well might make a common pirate weep,
And the old devil feel uncommon cheap:
Such derned, infernal deeds, and parst all showin’,
Pirates and slavers ain’t the worst folk goin’.
There’s things to which the worst they do is slow;
I’ve lived among ’em an I ort to know.
And yet among those natives there are some
As mild as lambs, and good and humoursome;
Who never fight no more than an old hen,
Such difference there is in mortal men.
I’ll tell you now a tale, to make you sport,
Of one who chanced among this gentle sort.”