A YACHTING BALLAD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2650, 28 December 1904, Page 63

A YACHTING BALLAD.

A breeze that wakes the drowsy bay, And fills the sails of snow, And out at the break of the summer day The sea-birds watch us go: Ever away, swinging away, To the isles of Eastward Ho! For the sea-gulls watch the yachtsmen, And the yachtsmen watch the sails, Heavy or light breeze, Ev'ning or night breeze, Rough sea, or calm, or gales. Fres-h'ning to meet the rising sun, The winds whip down the tide, And we cover the long miles, one by one, On the splashing waves a-riae, Till the isles are won, on a rattling run, Three leagues from the Auckland side. Ay, the yachtsmen's lives are jolly, On the great south ocean led, White foam a-gleam, and Light hearts a-dream, and Summer skies overhead. And when the nights are pearled with stars, In our white boat at rest, A-swing by some quiet harbour bars We waken the East and West, With songs to the music of dream-guitars! 'Tis then that the wor.d seems best. With the fresh, still night above us, Aflame with a million fires, Talking and smoking, Laughing and joking, Seldom a man's heart tares. It's off to bed when breezes whip The- starry silence deep, Till the ceaseless sounds of the tide's "drip drip" . • Where the restless waters sweep, Make fancy to you of some maid a-trip, Coriiie visiting in your sleep. Alas! . . . the yacht on a sudden Rolls over, and, with a start, Cursing, you waken On the floor shaken : You and your bunk apart! Homewards, where city lights, a-glare, Dance in the tides that flow, We swing away through the warm night air, In our boat with the sails of snow; Our hands are strong, and our feet are bare, And the sea-birds watch us go. • For the sea-gulls watcli the yatchlsmen, And the yachtsmen watch the sails, Heavy or light breeze, Ev'ning or night breeze, Rough sea, or calm, or gales. A , , . — E. L. Eyre. Auckland December, 1904.