Jo M Thomas
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Passage 9 - A Dawn Chorus

Passage 9 - A Dawn Chorus

Oct 27, 2021

On the air steamer Apollo, before guests arrive, the staff and crew get everything just so, hoisting supplies aboard, cleaning rooms, taking on more water, removing rubbish, arranging the menu and, with the rolling wooded High Wolds to port of Apollo, and the soon-to-be-silver lake to starboard, singing a mangled rhyme of Cap'n Flynn, Jack Tar, and Sonny Jim to the pink light of dawn and the beckoning horizon.

ALL : Oh listen here! There was a young man

By the name o' Sonny Jim,

Who worked with the sticky capstan

Aboard the old Seraphim,

And charmed the ladies fair and fine

Though he only cared for Jack

Who only cared for sweet summer wine

And the meat of the leatherback.

And bonny Jack Tar, likely lad,

Sailed seven seas and more besides,

In search of ev'ry drink he had,

And ev'ry turtle he a-spied,

Steered too close to the Seahawk,

That mighty pirate ship,

And Cap'n Flynn was drawn to stalk,

To still Jack's insolent quips.

With his crew, Brenda, Alan, Claude,

Flora, Henry, Davey, Don,

James and Gill both big and broad,

O'Connor the Amazon,

Billy, Monty, Ellis, Joe,

Francis, Pedro, Ian, Clyde,

Swearing they would lay poor Jack low,

That he would find no berth to hide.

In the Raffa Isles, they caught him,

And sent his young gallant heart

To the lamenting Sonny Jim

Who came after them right smart.

But Sonny Jim was a clumsy clot

With a heart that's easy led,

So saw he Flynn and oh! Great Scott,

The fat salty tears he shed

For the handsome old cap'n's face

Made Sonny swear, hand on heart,

Revenge was not the cause he chased,

And never, never more to part.


Not the true ending but one they remember. And soon they start the song again.

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