Ship Against the Storm

I shall not be made to fear
The hazy shadows of thund'rin' storms that near,
And I shall not be led below
To cow'r in cov'rin' 'gainst the beating sea that grows.

I shall not resign my fate
To the signs of a forthcomin' wake,
And I shall not myself to sink
In the pallid ghostly shades of possibility.

The boughs may break
In the ragin' wake,
But, my spirit, you shall not break.

Should the death stain'd skies
Seek my soul to confine,
I shall stand starboard and shout, "Well, come and take it!"

I shall not go quietly
'Gainst the violent cracklin' crash of striking lightning,
And I shall not myself entomb
Within the ships grim quarters—no, I shall face my doom.

The boughs may break
In the ragin' wake,
But, my spirit, you shall not break.

Should the death stain'd skies
Seek my soul to confine,
I shall stand starboard and shout, "Well, come and take it!"

I shall not forsake the light,
Enshroud my poundin' heart as canonballs fly,
Nor as my fellow men are made to descend—
If I must stand alone, then, well, so be it!

The boughs may break
In the ragin' wake,
But, my spirit, you shall not break.

Should the death stain'd skies
Seek my soul to confine,
I shall stand starboard and shout, "Well, come and take it!"

O' howlin' winds, your air I breath,
And, ragin' waves, you shake my feet,
But your dark skies bear no hold on me:
I shall be free!