University of Virginia Library


202

THE BALLAD OF THE RAM.

Who 'as 'eard the Ram a-callin' on the green fields o' the sea,
Let 'em wander east or west an' mighty fast:
For it's bad to 'ear the Ram when he's up an' runnin' free
With the angry bit o' ribbon at the mast.
It's rush an' serge an' dash when the Ram is on the leap,
But smash an' crash for them as stops the way:
The biggest ship goes down right there that ain't got sense to keep
The shore-walk o' the werry nearest bay.
For Frenchy ships, an' German too, an' Russian, you may bet,
It's safer for to land an' 'ome by tram,
Than out to come an' gallivant an' risk the kind o' wet
That follers runnin' counter to a Ram.

203

For when the Terror lifts 'is 'ead an' goes for wot is near,
I'm sorry for them ships wot sail so free;
It's best to up an' elsewhere, an' be werry far from 'ere
When Rams 'ave took to bleatin' on the sea!