Cabin-Kid

Your old man's a sailor, I suppose?
-A fisherman. A long time dead.
He left my mother's side one night,
And sleeps in the breakers now instead.

Up in the graveyard there's a tomb
Ma keeps for him-it's empty, thoughI'm
all the husband that she has
To help her while the children grow.

Two little ones. -Nothing was found
Along the beach where he was drowned?
-Only his pipe-case and a shoe . . .

When Sundays come, Mother can stop
And cry for rest. . . But when I grow up
I'll get revenge-a sailor too!