Here are the lyrics to a new song based on the idea of the Drovers Dream, It has a tune of my own composition, and can be heard on my CD Nautical and.

THE SAILOR'S DREAM
(Dick Miles)

1. One night while on the deep at my watch I fell asleep.
The sea was calm, no whisper of a breeze.
To the starboard side, I saw parading on the shore the strangest
Group of creatures ever seen. First there came a mermaid fair
With oysters in her hair. A walrus followed after slow and sure.
The jellyfish and the seal performed the eightsome reel
While the crabfish and the lobster called for more.

2. The crabs upon the shore formed up for a square four,
Sideways as they did the do-si-do.
And the dolphin with a smile played a tune upon his viol
While the porpoise played a hornpipe long and slow.
The puffins on the strand joined up and hand in hand
Sang a shanty as they pulled the capstan round,
And the mermaid swimming free, joined in and sang with glee,
"O hooray, me boys! I think we're homeward bound."

3. Then Jonah from the whale shouted out to tell his tale.
The walrus called for order and for calm.
The squid he then did flail his arms around the whale,
While the crabs did scuttle off in great alarm.
"It's years I have been here, I solemnly declare.
Won't you please release me now, and let me go?"
And the whale with a grin he slowly then did sing,
"I'll be lonesome now without you down below."

4. An albatross appeared and wiped away a tear,
And read The Ancient Mariner verse by verse.
He told to them the yarn of the tar that shot him down,
And the history of the sailor and his curse.
In my fancy I had dozed to a nautical repose.
I pinched myself and found I had awoke,
And the skipper standing there had just begun to swear:
"Miles, you fool! You've beached the flaming boat."


Copyright by Dick Miles