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The Dreadful Mourn

I'm a Piketown son who left his mum
To sail the eastern shores
Spent a year in Gloucester
'mong the barkeeps and the whores

Then a man came 'round to Gloucester town
Said boys I need a few
Strapping lads such as yourselves
To join me whalin' crew

The pay is mighty lowly and
The work'll break yer backs
But if ye crave adventure, men
You'll ne'er get a better chance

Those who'd go out wi' me, lads
Prepare ta leave at dawn
There's a whaler at the dockside
She's called the Dreadful Mourn

Ho! Called I to Captain Frye 
My services you've bought 
I've traveled here from Piketown
To earn a tale heart'ly wrought

Aye, me lad then ye shall have
A yarn ta spin yer sons
So join me on the Dreadful Mourn
'Ere long's the risin' sun

I nodded Aye to Captain Frye
Then turned to swig my ale
When a man appeared beside me
And pulled up to the rail 

He shook his head and then he said 
His offer you should spurn
There was another Frye set out 
Yet ne'er did he return

This other Frye for he was kin 
Of the Captain now about
That fortune on their family frowns
Of that there is no doubt

I turned to the stranger, smiled
Said thank you for the warn
Then headed down the gangway 
Out to the Dreadful Mourn

For weeks on end I coiled the ropes 
Boiled the oil and pulled the line
Though it was grueling labor
I was feelin' pretty fine

But the winds they soon blew colder
And the ship began to slow
The Captain said don't worry men,
This is how the whales go

One day the ice so thickened that
The ship came to a stop
The Captain cried a wild whoop 
Boys I think I've found the spot! 

For 'twas about this latitude 
Where me brother's ship was lost
And now I've come ta bring him home 
No matter what the cost!

Sorry I lied ta ye lads 
I blame ye not for yer ire
Now calm ye selves, we've work ta do
Afore we can retire

Of course you know we would not go 
Along with his plan 
The crew decided mutiny 
Right down to the last man 

For Captain Frye's madness
We must pay an awful price
But he would join his brother
As a ghost beneath the ice

The ship was stuck, the stores near out
'Twas nothing left to do
'Cept sing a sailin' shanty 
And toast the Dreadful crew

So I took a final dram of rum,
Cursed the day that I was born
And lay down to my icy fate
Aboard the Dreadful Mourn

June 24, 2017

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