The First Voyage

The first voyage My mind goes back To a faraway place when I joined My first ship as a mess-boy. How sick I was, throwing up My supper. There was no reprieve get on with your job, boy. I did, but remember the ghastly the smell of soap suds. The ship was going to Baku Then a part of the Soviet Union And the black sea wasn’t black But full of ice. The town of Baku was sparse On streetlight but safe A kind solder followed us around We drank white wine, and I threw up again. Memories last long I never drink White or sweet wines.