The Ballad of Johnny Severn
Once lived a lad in Danville Town
whose name was Johnny Severn.
His legs were long and shoulders strong;
He toiled in every weather.
Aye Johnny war a fair young lad
who sailed upon the sea.
"Oh mother dear ne'er be so sad,
and never fear for me."
"We fish the seas in howlin' gales
with furies that blast from hell,
they rip and shred our tattered sails
but nary worry as will come well."
He loved a lass whose name was Anne
her hair was woven sunlight
with lips of cherry wine
and eyes so filled with moonlight.
He loved her deep he loved her true
with every bone and sinew
and swore his faithful tribute
to heaven's eyes of blue.
They tarried long among the fields
exchanging sighs and telling lies.
Where harvesters reaped their yield,
they dallied under starlit skies.
Her windswept hair hung long as wheat;
they lay entwined within the grass
and made love with kisses sweet
His soul, he gave to the comely lass.
Alas his life lay on the sea
where men must fish to eat,
and many moons must he
be gone before again to meet.
Will you be mine alone to marry
when I return in spring?
Anne whispered sweet, "I promise here to tarry."
He hung upon her lily neck a chain with golden ring.
With fulsome heart and gladsome soul,
our Johnny took his leave
and never feared how cruel winds blow
or whether sweethearts grieve.
For seven months he faced his fate
as storm flayed skin and tattered sails.
He mended nets and buried a mate
when rats and scurvy took their toil.
In troubled dreams, he saw her face,
a vision more than fair.
Hung round his neck ,a string of lace
and kept a locket of her hair.
Seven months of brine and rats and lice
can send a man to hell.
With rations gone, the cook fried mice.
Besodden, the ship wallowed in swells.
With the changing of the seasons
they followed the good stream home
with cargo fit for a king's ransom
to Danville Town bathed in foam.
The ship she was a-leaking
in every rib of keel
and with her topsail breaking
and still they made her heel.
With aching arms and doughty hearts
they plied their wayward vessel
to Danville Town to disembark
and unladen their weary souls.
And in the hidden trouser pocket
now tangled with torn lace
Johnny kept the precious locket
and dreamt to caress Anne's gentle face.
His mother was working in the garden,
planting kale and stringing beans
with her skirts tucked up in the apron
and her shoes split at the seams.
"Goodness my boy, let's take a look at you,
How thing you've grown and old.
The sea's done take its toll, forsooth,
and hand so calloused and cold."
She spoke with pride as mothers do
when sons return home safe
and nary let the flickering fear cloud
the gladsome joy of her face.
"Will Annie come round tonight to sup?"
Johnny asked impatiently.
He stripped his shirt, began to wash
the crusty brine of a thousand seas.
"Ye all your time from now to eternity
to wait for your fair Anne.
She's gone away with a rich man's lackey
for lord's manor in the land."
"And nary a word she said to me
before she left the town.
A neighbor brought a packet wee
with your name writ large and round."
"So take your time and sit ye down,
much sadder things to say
than fickle maids in Danville Town
that breaks your heart today."
Once lived a lad in Danville Town
whose name was Johnny Severn.
His legs were long and shoulders strong;
He toiled in every weathern.
He loved her true, he loved her deep
with every bone and sinew.
With winter wind and sleet
her love had frozen, too.