So it wasn't just me noticing the Lewis Carroll influence... I thought about it after and decided I might be mistaken, but I see I'm not and all is right with the world again!

Bob - perhaps Dick was interrupted by a person from Porlock and lost his thread in the last verse... as a non-nautical person it made perfect poetic sense to me, and was lyrical too.

I've read it a few times now and still think it's great... but would recommend a little less cheese before bedtime!

LTS