Musa Burschicosa :: :: University of Virginia Library

The sun rides high, the tide is flowing,
Come plough the deep sea!
The sky-born breeze is briskly blowing,
Come plough the deep sea!
Surge chases surge with rival glee,
The white-winged skiffs shoot o'er the sea;
For the wide waves are free,
The wide waves are free,
The waves of the surging sea!

The captain calls, ‘Now all is ready!’
Hoist sails and away!
‘Come, bear a hand, helm starboard, steady,’
Now bravely away!
We've cleared the Ness, and now we ride
The ancient green untainted tide;

For the wide waves are free,
The wide waves are free,
The waves of the surging sea!

Ha! like a steed the good ship prances,
Hoist royals, huzza!
Behold how mad the light wave dances,
Hoist sky-sails, huzza!
The sea-mews duck and dive with glee,
The porpoise rolls in revelry;
For the wide waves are free,
The wide waves are free,
The waves of the surging sea!

Ha! how the crested waves are booming!
Blow stiffly, breeze, blow!
How yonder far east land is looming!
Blow stiffly, breeze, blow!
Reef, reef the sails! a blast! a blast!
‘Helm larboard!’—steady! helmsman, fast!
For the wide waves are free,
The wide waves are free,
The waves of the surging sea!

Now gently, gently!—slow but surely!
Now make for the land!

Yon bonnie harbour blinks securely;
The land, now the land!
We've cleared the point, the landsmen hail,
We bear along with gallant sail;
For the wide waves are free,
The wide waves are free,
The waves of the surging sea!