Has The Little Sailor Gone?By John McMenamin
(A naughty, nautical, saucy tale of the sea, in which minute mariners indulge in extra-marital shenanigans)
Down in the Maiden city,
Where the Foyle does ebb and flow
A man was walking near the docks
As homeward he did go.
The wee man was called Paddy
With a cloth cap on his head
A muffler tied around his throat
And he wished he was in bed. As Paddy turned a corner
He saw a fearsome sight
"Twas the sailors friend, Big Lily
Underneath a flickering light. Wee Paddy looked at Lily
Standing underneath the light
Big Lily was a lady
Yes, a lady of the night. Big Lily stood there swaying
She was eating fish and chips
Big Lily was well known
To the men who sailed the ships She was stately as a galleon
That sailed the Spanish main
As she stood there with her anchor down
In the early morning rain. She was low in the water
She was broad across the beam
But she could go like the clappers
When she'd up a head of steam. She was built just like a battle ship
That sailed off to foreign lands
Big Lily was the captain
But sometimes took on extra hands. Big Lily looked at Paddy
As she chewed a piece of cod
Spit out the bones and growled out low
"Come 'ere , yeh daft wee sod." Paddy looked up at Big Lily
There was not a soul about
Her bosom's heaved from side to side
As the tide went in and out. "Are you off a ship?" said Lily
As she did gently roll
"I don't work at all" said Paddy
"Sure I'm ten years on the dole." Wee Paddy looked at Lily
Then he looked down at his shoe
"I get my dole on Wednesday
Would you take and I.O.U". "You're no good to me" said Lily
"I sail off at the dawn,
But before you go, now tell me
Has the little sailor gone?" Wee Paddy stood and scratched his head
The Guildhall clock struck three
"I don't see a soul", said Paddy
"Except for you and me". Big Lily gave herself a shake
Her timbers they did groan
"Man over-board!" she shouted.
As she sailed off to her home. We Paddy watched Big Lily
As she sailed off in the dawn
Big Lily went off singing
Has the little sailor gone? Has the little sailor gone?
As she sailed off in the dawn
Tinker tailor soldier sailor
Has the little sailor gone? <...back | 
