white squall

now it's just my luck to have the watch

with nothing left to do

but watch the deadly waters glide as we roll north to the 'so'

and wonder when they'll turn again and pitch us to the rail

and whirl off one more youngster in the gale

the kid was so damned eager. it was all so big and new

you never had to tell him twice

or find him work to do

and evenings on the mess deck he was always first to sing

and show us pictures of the girl he'd wed in spring

but i told that kid a hundred times don't take the lakes for granted