THE BANGING OF THE WHEELHOUSE DOOR
(Sean Gagnier)

The winter's ice clings to cliff,
To beach, and empty shell;
The cold wind moans on the bones of summer,
And takes a slap at the bell.
And all the boats are upside down,
Or else pulled in to shore:
Parson G, Clarissa Lee,
That used-up, shore-rigged whore;
And old Lindy Lou with her sides stove through,
Her riggings rotten and tore.
There's many a night when the wind's been right,
And the weather's been getting poor,
That I tried to sleep, but I can't sleep,
For the banging of the wheelhouse door.

I lie in bed, like a kid, you know,
And figure she'll go away;
But no such luck, goddam her bones,
So it's down to the kitchen for me.
Find the old pipe and get lit up,
Take the tea down from the shelf;
Ida's been dead since '61,
So I've gotta do for myself.
No sooner the smoke's curling over my book,
The tea's ready to pour;
Then sure as I stand, I can hear Pete McCann,
And the banging of the wheelhouse door.

Pete and me we were heading back,
With half a catch below;
Tryin' to raise the south head light,
And, Jesus, did it blow.
By the time we heard the breakers roar,
We were too close in to shore;
With a prayer and a curse, I felt her lurch,
As the rocks dug in and tore.
And old Lindy Lou fell a cryin' and a dyin',
With the ocean pouring through;
I got knocked off my feet, I couldn't find Pete,
And I don't recall much more.
'Cept the last thing I heard, the sound of a word,
And the banging of the wheelhouse door.

I came to four days later,
In a hospital in St John's;
In a body cast, 'cos I hurt my back,
And I found out Pete was gone.
They never found his body,
Though they searched ten miles of shore;
I'm getting on, my back is gone,
And I really can't fish no more.
And old Lindy Lou with her sides stove through,
Was towed and left on shore.
There's many a night when the wind's been right,
And the weather's been getting poor,
That I tried to sleep but I just couldn't sleep,
For the banging of the wheelhouse door.

####.... Sean Gagnier [1942-2002]. Transcribed by Andy Vine ....####

Found at GEST Songs Of Newfoundland And Labrador.