THE very best ship that ever I knew
-Ah-way O, to me O-
Was a big black trawler with a deep-sea crew-
Sing, my bullies, let the bullgine run.

There was one old devil with a broken nose
-Ah-way O, to me O-
He was four score years, as I suppose-
But sing, my bullies, let the bullgine run.


We was wrecked last March, in a Polar storm
-Ah-way O, to me O-
And we asked the old cripple if his feet was warm-
Sing, my bullies, let the bullgine run.

And the old, old devil (he was ninety at the most)
-Ah-way O, to me O-
Roars, ' Ay, warm as a lickle piece of toast '-
So sing, my bullies, let the bullgine run.

' For I soaked my sea-boots and my dungarees
-Ah-way O, to me O-
In the good salt water that the Lord don't freeze '-
Oh sing, my bullies, let the bullgine run.

Alfred Noyes

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-big-black-trawler/