The Fo'Castle Sage

YE ' LL watch for the palms thro' the dusk,
And ye'll come to a hill-side av light,
And ye'll sniff at a stray scent av musk
And be stealin' off land'ard at night!

Ye'll be crowdin' past hathen and hoor
And convarsin' wid wimmen, me lad;
And the quicker they seem to allure,
The slower ye'll reason they're bad!

But beware av the bantherin' lip,
And beware av the moitherin' eye;
And beware av the olive-brown slip
That sings as a lad goes by!

And take heed, for the sake av your soul,
Av the song the city may sing;
And beware av the midnight bowl,
And the touch av the trailin' wing!

Stand off from the hive av the Bad;
Keep back from the drip av the comb;
And take thought av your luck, me lad,
Wid the whole clean Sea for a home!

For, on land 'tis all throubles begin;
And your home 'tis on wather and brine,
And not in their harbours av Sin,
Wid their music and laughin' and wine!

So take heed by what happened to me,
And if ye're for keepin' from harm,
Stick close to your ship and the Sea,
Where there's nothin' but wather and storm!