The tides of war

Born in a port side town

With a seafaring father gone away

He knew when he became a man

The sea would lead him astray

Signed onto a ship of the line

Outward bound into war

One of many upon the brine

Untested for what’s in store

A veteran boatswain of many years

Befriended the sailor to calm his fears

But upon a howling stormy night

The truth would finally unfold

A tale of war and a sea so cold

And this is the tale he told

Sailors adrift in their watery graves

Long since vanished beneath uncaring waves

By blade or wreck it mattered not

In Davy Jones’ locker they lay and rot

For the call of fortune glory and fame

Has led many a young man into the flames

From history’s dawn on countless shores

Young hearts beat fearless

And heroes born

High in the nest

Keen eye on the horizon

Stout brothers in arms

Men they can rely on

Swords so bright or cannon’s roar

Blood pain and death

The consequences of war

Under a grey dawn the ships were met

broadsides fired and mothers wept

For two whole days the storm it raged

A high price payed for the war that waged

Judgement came to collect its debts

As both ships sank to the crushing depths

The waves did crash in the howling dark

Sailors tossed amongst the sharks

Until none were left except for one

Who floated for days under the burning sun

To wash upon a foreign shore

And swore he would sail no more

This is where the boatswains’ story ends

Believing he had terrified his friend

Instead he stood tall his face so stern

He said the time had come to take his turn

To stand with his brothers on the very fore

To fight and die on the tides of war

Swords so bright or cannon’s roar

Blood pain and death

The consequences of war

To fight and die on the tides of war