We set our sails to the Westward lee,
down past a cold uncharted sea,
where ghostly ships sailed silent by
under a ceaseless azure sky.
In sudden fit the wind lay down,
dark water's edge lapped all around.
Our crew grew fearful; quieter still,
As they felt the sea storm's growing chill.

Faint then we heard the mermaid's cry,
from deep within the ocean's eye.
The white waves rose; the wild winds came,
lashed on our sails, full blown again.
We rode the troughs, the curling waves,
we saw a thousand sailor's graves,
heard all their cries, the wretched prayer,
that rose from Neptune's ancient lair.

Somehow we held the blacken'ed night,
lost to the storm in endless fright,
prayed long and hard we would not sleep,
with all those lost souls in the deep.
The waves rolled on, whipped up on high,
blacked out the stars hung in the sky.
Still we fought on, though battle worn,
'Til came the sweetly risen dawn.

The daylight found us safe; becalmed,
no loss no shipmate even harmed.
The wild winds gone; as if never been,
the sea a mirror; calm; serene....
We thanked the Lord that break of day,
hauled in the chains and stole away.
Passed by the cold uncharted sea,
sails set again to the Westward lee.