When the boy went to sea
He had no idea of the life he would lead
All he wanted was to leave the old one behind
Scrubbing decks was his bread and butter
Aboard, there was no bread and butter to eat
After the first month he stowed away on another ship
A great beast of a vessel railing against the wind
Powered by a restless need to wander and conquer
The captain found him the same day
Half-starved, more ghost than boy
Rum brought him back to life
Warmed his blood
From that day forward he wore many hats
Swabbie, powder monkey, first mate, captain
Shanties became his lullaby
Violence became his religion
Rum became his mistress
Drank in victory, burned in defeat
Years later the boy returned home
His father didn’t recognise him
He saw a man in fine clothes
It was the last thing he saw
The boy went back to the sea
Roving to the edges of the world
Until he went down with his ship
A merry life and a short one
The Rum Ration 