A Whaler's Tale (Ken Graydon) I signed aboard this whaling ship I made my mark it's true And I'll serve out the span of time I swore that I would do But I'll not man your boats again Though you cast me in the sea For I tell you sir, them fish can think As well as you or me Just yesterday the lookout's call Had bent us to our work I took me place like all the rest I'd not be one to shirk Now thirteen men's been drownded And no more of them we'll see I'd take an oath, them fish can think As well as you or me We'd pulled our boats abreast the pod The steersman took his stand He'd had no time to make his throw When the oar flew from my hand Just then a great fluke smashed our boat The whale I didn't see Now I believe them fish can think As well as you or me For then them whales destroyed our boats They rammed them one by one They stove them all with head and fluke And after they was done We few poor souls left half-alive Was clinging to debris I'd stake me life them fish can think As good as you and me The way them whale fish went for us It seemed as though t'was planned For each one had his target boat They played us man for man Just knowin' now they think so clear My heart says let them be I swear to God them fish can think As good as you or me Now John is blind, Jim's lost an arm And Caleb's lost below My leg will heal but other men No more aloft can go So I'll not man your boats again Though you drown me in the sea For I tell you sir, them fish can think As good as you or me AJS oct97
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