The lion's cub :: :: University of Virginia Library

When my ships come home from sea,
O how happy I shall be!
And my darling children, too,
Lorimer, and Bess, and Sue;
They shall share, and share with me,
When my ships come home from sea.

Lori shall have a silver hoop,
And a whistle of yellow gold;

And, every marble an agate,
More marbles than he can hold,
Never a boy so glad as he,
When my ships come home from sea.

And what shall Bessie have?
A comb of mother-of-pearl;
A diamond rose to light up her hair,
And never queen alive shall wear
Such robes as my sweet girl!
Many's the kiss she'll give to me,
When my ships come back from sea.

Sarah shall have a Paris doll,
That will wink with a knowing air;
And dishes of old, pink China,
And such a love of a chair!
O how happy all will be
When my ships come back from sea.

When will my ships come back?
As near as I can remember,
When the rose of June shall be blowing
In the cold winds of December;
Or when the snow of December
Drifts on the buds of June,
At twelve o'clock at midday,
Under the light of the moon.
Be sure, if sleeping, to waken me,
For then my Ships will have come from Sea!