The Wounded Whale

Low as the sun from her ocean bed was rising

Brought underwater a glittering light rose

Hark from the masthead our lookouts are crying

There's hard on your lee beam a whale there she blows

Call up your sleepers your larboard and your starboard

Men mean yard aback and your boats clear away

For hard on our lee beam see the white water

Green glittering and foaming in glorious array

See the leviathan in vastness is

Lying making the ocean or some chore sped

While high overhead the seabirds are flying

Combing the billows that break o'er her head

High white and swimming her dark fluke sublime

Stately but slowly she sinks in the main

Peak all your oars awhile, rest from your weary toil

Watching and waiting arising again

Row hearties row for the pride of your nation

Spring to your oars let the rigging sweat flow

Now for the blood let a calf circulation

For would on your thwarts you've away all ye know

See how the boats advance gaily as to a dance

Floating like feathers over the dark blue sea

Stand up and give us some. send both your irons home

Stead off and trim your boat, we are all clear

Wounded and sore things and flukes in commotion

Black skin and oars contending spray

While loud long and shrill blows the horn of the ocean

Fretting and lost she brings to in dismay

Haul line every man, gather in all ye can

Lances and spades from yer thwarts clear away

Now clique your oars again, while fast each boat remains

For safely and surely we hold her at bay

Surrounded by foes with strength undiminished

Heed how she flashes her dark flukes in the air

A lance in the life and the struggle is finished

And see how she sinks with a chimney on fire

While so loud and shrill the cry from our seamen

Mocking the whale in her terrible hour

Watch her as she dies see the blue signal flies

Here she goes, fade out, and the contest is o'er