BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard

Subject: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: freda underhill
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 07:33 PM

Well, last week we had a fantastic party and session for Sandra in Sydney. Today, a gloriously fine and sunny day, many of us are going for a walk down to a park by the harbour in Glebe to celebrate the birthday of Jack Halyard
Sydney's finest folk singer-songwriter. Hosted by those old reprobates, the Roaring Forties, we will picnic on fine food and feast on fine songs!

Sunshine, Morton Bay Fig trees, and song - it'll be an afternoon to remeber!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN!

best wishes

freda

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: JennieG
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 07:41 PM

Birthday wishes from Beautiful Downtown Sefton!

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 16 Feb 07 - 11:49 PM

happy birfday, John, sorry I can't make it, but spending time outdoors picnicing on such a hot humid day is not for me.

sandra (sitting on ergonomic chair in cool, shady room with lovely cold air blowing from the fan, and missing the singing, wahhhhh)

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: JennyO
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 06:01 AM

It wasn't hot or humid where we were Sandra. We sat in the shade under a huge Moreton Bay fig with quite a brisk cool breeze blowing the whole time - probably cooler than your fan. To give you an idea of how much breeze there was, it kept blowing the folding chairs over when nobody was sitting in them. On one occasion it blew my chair over with an almost full bottle of beer in the pocket and most of it was lost :-(

Anyway, a good time was had by all - the usual suspects were there, including Martin Pearson, Tom Bridges, John Dengate, Malcolm Menzies, all the Forties of course, Jane and Bill, the two Mike and Dawns, and others too numerous to mention.

Anyway, here's your birthday banner, John.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK HALYARD!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: Micca
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 07:57 AM

Happy Birfday Jack, may the beer work and the figs not!!!
and may there be no
"chunder of dark Bass beer"

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: JudyB
Date: 17 Feb 07 - 08:30 PM

Happy Birthday, John! I sang one of your songs at the Coffee House last night - just to remind me that there was somewhere warmer than here! It hasn't been above freezing much for weeks, and the short days get to me after a while.

Wish we could have been there for the party (not only because it's warmer than here!) - and we're looking forward to seeing you in a few months!

All the best,
JudyB

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: SussexCarole
Date: 18 Feb 07 - 07:15 PM

Happy (belated)Birthday John - we'll celebrate with a pint or two with you next year.

Carole & Andrew

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 05:44 AM

Hippy Hoppy Hoo Har!

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: Charley Noble
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 11:29 AM

And more happy returns from the frozen coast of Maine!

I'm rummaging through my collection of "ancient mariner" songs, looking for an appropriate one. There are so many:

The Sea Dog
The Ship-Keeper
Mariquita

But then I found this one, covered with dust and cat hair in the corner. It's rather long but you're still much younger than me and should be able to survive reading it:

The Aged Pilot Man
(by Mark Twain)

On the Erie Canal, it was,
All on a summer's day,
I sailed forth with my parents
Far away to Albany.

From out the clouds at noon that day
There came a dreadful storm,
That piled the billows high about,
And filled us with alarm.

A man came rushing from a house,
Saying, "Snub up your boat I pray,
Snub up your boat, snub up, alas,
Snub up while yet you may."

Our captain cast one glance astern,
Then forward glanced he,
And said, "My wife and little ones
I never more shall see."

Said Dollinger the pilot man,
In noble words, but few,--
"Fear not, but lean on Dollinger,
And he will fetch you through."

The boat drove on, the frightened mules
Tore through the rain and wind,
And bravely still, in danger's post,
The whip-boy strode behind.

"Come 'board, come 'board," the captain cried,
"Nor tempt so wild a storm;"
But still the raging mules advanced,
And still the boy strode on.

Then said the captain to us all,
"Alas, 'tis plain to me,
The greater danger is not there,
But here upon the sea.

So let us strive, while life remains,
To save all souls on board,
And then if die at last we must,
Let . . . . I cannot speak the word!"

Said Dollinger the pilot man,
Tow'ring above the crew,
"Fear not, but trust in Dollinger,
And he will fetch you through."

"Low bridge! low bridge!" all heads went down,
The laboring bark sped on;
A mill we passed, we passed church,
Hamlets, and fields of corn;
And all the world came out to see,
And chased along the shore
Crying, "Alas, alas, the sheeted rain,
The wind, the tempest's roar!
Alas, the gallant ship and crew,
Can nothing help them more?"

And from our deck sad eyes looked out
Across the stormy scene:
The tossing wake of billows aft,
The bending forests green,
The chickens sheltered under carts
In lee of barn the cows,
The skurrying swine with straw in mouth,
The wild spray from our bows!

"She balances!
She wavers!
Now let her go about!
If she misses stays and broaches to,
We're all"--then with a shout,]
"Huray! huray!
Avast! belay!
Take in more sail!
Lord, what a gale!
Ho, boy, haul taut on the hind mule's tail!"
"Ho! lighten ship! ho! man the pump!
Ho, hostler, heave the lead!

"A quarter-three!--'tis shoaling fast!
Three feet large!--t-h-r-e-e feet!--
Three feet scant!" I cried in fright
"Oh, is there no retreat?"

Said Dollinger, the pilot man,
As on the vessel flew,
"Fear not, but trust in Dollinger,
And he will fetch you through."

A panic struck the bravest hearts,
The boldest cheek turned pale;
For plain to all, this shoaling said
A leak had burst the ditch's bed!
And, straight as bolt from crossbow sped,
Our ship swept on, with shoaling lead,
Before the fearful gale!

"Sever the tow-line! Cripple the mules!"
Too late! There comes a shock!
Another length, and the fated craft
Would have swum in the saving lock!

Then gathered together the shipwrecked crew
And took one last embrace,
While sorrowful tears from despairing eyes
Ran down each hopeless face;
And some did think of their little ones
Whom they never more might see,
And others of waiting wives at home,
And mothers that grieved would be.

But of all the children of misery there
On that poor sinking frame,
But one spake words of hope and faith,
And I worshipped as they came:
Said Dollinger the pilot man,--
(O brave heart, strong and true!)--
"Fear not, but trust in Dollinger,
For he will fetch you through."

Lo! scarce the words have passed his lips
The dauntless prophet say'th,
When every soul about him seeth
A wonder crown his faith!

And count ye all, both great and small,
As numbered with the dead:
For mariner for forty year,
On Erie, boy and man,
I never yet saw such a storm,
Or one't with it began!"

So overboard a keg of nails
And anvils three we threw,
Likewise four bales of gunny-sacks,
Two hundred pounds of glue,
Two sacks of corn, four ditto wheat,
A box of books, a cow,
A violin, Lord Byron's works,
A rip-saw and a sow.

A curve! a curve! the dangers grow!
"Labbord!--stabbord!--s-t-e-a-d-y!--so!--
Hard-a-port, Dol!--hellum-a-lee!
Haw the head mule!--the aft one gee!
Luff!--bring her to the wind!"

For straight a farmer brought a plank,--
(Mysteriously inspired)--
And laying it unto the ship,
In silent awe retired.

Then every sufferer stood amazed
That pilot man before;
A moment stood. Then wondering turned,
And speechless walked ashore.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Happy Birthday, Jack Halyard
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 19 Feb 07 - 08:09 PM

Happy birthday, Jack Halyard! All the best from the west coast U.S.

Chanteyranger