Life of a true roughneck

When ships are on the horizon

And sailors set sail

When the bar maids stop serving

their liquor and ale

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When the sun’s sinking low

in the far away sky

And moon and the stars

are gathering nye

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When the maidens all cry

and they kiss their goodbyes

When the land becomes distant

a vision fading with time

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When the towns become quiet

and the dogs fail to bark

And the town closes up

with no movement at dark

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And the owls can be heard

singing their soft lonely song

Then you know that for now

all the men folk are all gone

*

For a time, it is still

no one wrestles or fights

Young boys take their charge

as the man, for a time

*

The women sing songs

and tell their children at night

Stories of the ships out at sea

with their sails full in flight

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Tales of victories and war

and of the grandest of treasures

Some are fierce and profound

some full of fancy and pleasure

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When the ships on horizon

and the storms start to roll

Everyman buckles down

holding tight to the hull

*

And they pray for their lives

and the ones that they love

Mother’s, father’s, Daughters,

sons and their wives

*

Working hard to keep this large ship- belly down

Keeping eye on the land

As to not run aground

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When it’s calm,

they do chores

and they dream of the day,

when the ships on horizon

finding fair weather days

just outside of their bay

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But till then they work hard

different ports, different towns

And they work without sleeping

awaking as the ships bell resounds

*

They eat together in the galley

and together swab the deck

Sometimes they get ornery

the true life of a roughneck

*

But they are bound tight like brothers

shed the same blood and sweat

And will defend one another

so, don’t you forget

*

If you’re messing with one

you will get the whole crew

Cause brothers are brothers

Whatever you do

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While the ship is on the horizon

many things have to change

For the families left behind

Their whole world’s rearrange

*

Where once children would play

Hide and seek or some tag

Now they are responsible for cleaning

and boarding the nags

*

No school for a time

used to make a child laugh

Now they must carry water

and boil it for a bath

*

The women are tough

they can handle a lot

Shoe a horse, fix a barn door

and tie a nautical knot

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She is good in the kitchen

she can hunt fish and fight

She can fight off any creature

with her gun late at night

*

She knew what she was in for

when she fell for that fella

And she’d do it again

cause he sings a mean acapella

*

And he captured her heart

like a pirate at sea

Promised visions of treasure

and man, could he sing

*

He sang songs of glory

songs of thrills and of love

He vowed he’d be true to her

swore on the powers above

*

And she surrendered her heart

gave her life to him gladly

And soon after: a son and

daughter for daddy

*

She would fight for this man

leave you broken and bruised

Till your begging for mercy

there’s no means she won’t use

*

To protect her family

her babies, her man

No fiercer warrior

could you find in the land

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Make no mistake,

she is still a lady

even with fire in her heart

she is delicate and lovely.

*

Her loyalty is strong,

and her will she relies on

Till she finally sets her eyes

on that ship in the horizon

*

Weeks have passed, days are long

still they persevere on

Getting ready to greet

this man they love, that’s been gone

*

There are easier lives

and they dream of the day

When they have all they need

And he won’t go away

*

On the ships that sail

far off on the horizons

Searching towns just like theirs

stealing its men for their shipmen

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But for now, they prepare

making ready a feast

Keeping eye for his ship

sailing in from the East

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Bringing gifts, maybe gold

and he will tell tales of their bounty

And whole town will be filled

with everyone from the county

*

Celebrating as one

that the ships have returned

Till the last light is on

And every sailor sojourned

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Then in peace they will sleep

dream of ships in the night

And the new day that’s coming

basking warm in firelight

*

But for now, they are content

as a family once more

No searching for ships on the horizon

whilst alone on the shore

*

And they know they are lucky

and enjoy while they can

For this life is no life

for a fair-weather man